Another Survivor: Family Issues
by Dawnwish112
Summary: Serene. The name doesn't fit me at all. Not only am I a violent young woman, I am a violent young woman in a zombie apocalypse. Alone. Death seems to be the only option anymore. Until one fateful day when I see the face of someone I thought I lost long ago...
1. Chapter 1: At a Glance

**Welcome to my first fanfiction! I know how much people HATE OC inserts, but I think this one'll be better than most... Hopefully... PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! **

**I do not claim to own Left 4 Dead or Left 4 Dead 2. If I did, we'd be hearing about Left 4 Dead 3, 4 and 5. :P **

**LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

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><p>"Grabbin' a shot!" the young man called to his team. I silently watched him with great interest from quite a distance away at the man through the scope of a sniper rifle I'd found. Normally, I wouldn't be able to hear what people could say from this distance, but I was close enough I could read their lips.<p>

A man in a fancy white suit rolled his eyes as he shot another Infected in the head with his pistol, "Careful with that thing, Ellis. Remember what happened last time?" I lipped the younger man's name, I doubted he could be the one I'm looking for, but nothing's impossible until proven so.

"No, he doesn't," a woman wearing a pink shirt and jeans said while whacking a zombie with a baseball bat, "The Charger knocked him out cold before he did anything." The suited man snickered.

The man the suited guy called Ellis had a look of determination as if he was going to show the man in the suit nothing bad could possibly happen. He applied the adrenaline shot. He started fidgeting and seemed anxious. He shook himself awake, and held tight to his axe. "Outta my way, guys!" He yelled at the group. They split apart to let him through as he tightened his grip on his axe. He jumped from the stairs he was walking on to where the direction the horde had been alerted from. All he did was swing the axe and the zombies fell, their blood covering his clothes and his ax. Amazing. It almost reminded me of my brother, may he rest in peace.

The man in the suit was still snickering. I couldn't figure out why.

The young man destroyed every zombie in his way, still on an adrenaline high. Soon, the group heard a cry split the now quiet (except for the young man's victims' final shriek of pain) air. Even I could hear it. The suited man's chuckle turned into a full on laugh. "What is so damn funny?" another, larger man demanded.

Between his laughs, the man in a white suit said, "Watch Ellis!" he said before he started laughing again.

I think the young man was too crazy with adrenaline to stop now. I'd bet my last pair of skull earrings he hadn't heard anything except for the death shrieks of the zombies. I saw one final zombie right in front of him. He charged ahead, preparing for the attack, he swung at the Infected woman and...

I dropped my scope and ran for the general direction of this group. I saw his friends kill the Witch that attempted to kill Ellis. I had no choice but to make myself known to them, and besides...

Family first.

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><p><strong>Kinda short, and I'm sorry, but I can't make this one too long or you wouldn't be interested now would you? I promise the next chapters will be much longer than this! R&amp;R below and please don't be too harsh on it! This is my first one I've done in about a year and I'm a little rusty! <strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Here We Go Again

**Serene: No reviews, huh?**

**Me: no... :(**

**Serene: Tell 'em what happens next! Maybe then they'll say something!**

**Me: Whatever. Do the disclaimer.**

**Serene: Dawnwish112 does not own Left 4 Dead 2 whatsoever. That would be Valve, who I need to take a gun to if they don't learn how to count to three.**

**Me: Thanks, now. Let's get this over with before I loose interest...**

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><p>"This ain't –" Ellis started began before his viciously torn up chest made him grunt, "This ain't funny Nick!" I figured Nick was the guy in the suit.<p>

Nick was now down to chuckling again, "_That_ was almost what happened last time... till that Charger got you anyways!" He started to laugh again.

"You coulda _said _the Witch was right there!" Ellis yelled, pulling away from his healer, the older, big guy.

The older man scolded him, "Boy, you can get 'em later. I still gotta get you fixed up. Now hold still." Ellis muttered under his breath mutinously. "He does have a point, though," he added to Nick.

I knocked on the door, which interrupted the argument. "Go get the door, Nick," the woman said, still sneering at him.

"It's probably some zombie. Hand me that gun." Nick ordered. I heard a _hmmpf _of defiance.

I was impatient now and I, breaking down the wooden door with my katana, let myself in. I wonder how I looked to them, a girl, clearly younger than the rest of them, armed with an M-16 assault rifle and a bloody katana. My long, straight, black hair hid most of my face, save my right eye. My skin was as pale as a ghost, which contradicted vibrantly against my black lipstick, black jeans and dark purple t-shirt (with black stripes). "I'm here to check on someone," I told them.

"Listen, little girl –" he started. The man was interrupted by me lifting the sleek, black gun to his head.

"Let me in," I said without trying to hide the annoyance in my voice whatsoever. The rage must have been obvious in my piercing green eyes, "or I will blow your brains out." Sue me for reacting.

The suited man lifted his shotgun to my head in return. I could practically see the fear in his eyes. This 'little girl' planned to kill him. He didn't let his fear show in his voice though, "Put the gun down, before someone gets hurt."

I rolled my eyes and pushed past him, which wasn't hard, because he didn't want to get more than arm's length closer to me. The wounded young man seemed to recognize me – a Gothic, twenty-year-old girl with a vampire-like stare – from the past. I knew he was the man I was looking for by the "Bullshifters," shirt. The realization must have hit him like a Charger at full speed, "Serene?"

"Ellis?" I asked in return.

"Oh mah God! Serene!" Ellis tried to get up to hug me, his injury reminding him he couldn't. Instead I hugged him gently. "I thought you were dead!"

"After I saw you with that Witch, I thought _you_ were!" To the rest of the group, who was clearly confused, I introduced myself, brushing my hair out of my face, "I'm Ellis' little sister and I'm immune to the Infection. I was traveling with rest my family, fighting the Infected and just trying to get by, but as it turns out, I'm the only one left, except for Ellis, but we got separated _long_ ago."

"And you've been alone?" the woman asked.

I nodded solemnly, "Not until recently. Two days ago, our uncle, the last one left, contracted the Infection. He told me to go to New Orleans and to find my brother and blew his brains out..." I used my jet black hair to hide the single tear that fell down my cheek I shook my head, trying to clear my mind of the memory... I noticed Ellis clearly wasn't as hurt as I was about the death of our uncle, but the grief was still there.

"How old are you, anyways?" the woman asked, clearly trying to change the subject.

I responded flatly, still trying to hide my ever-changing emotions, "Twenty two."

"Damn," the oldest man mumbled, "An' I though _Ellis_ was too young for this shit." It's not that much of an age difference, really, only about a year.

"Lemme say something now though," I said with a glare at Nick. My eyes must have been red from crying and gave me a Witch-like appearance, judging by Nick's reaction to what everyone calls my death glare, "I'm clinically depressed, so leave me the hell alone when I'm pissed or someone'll have a bullet in their skull or a knife in their back." It hasn't happened yet, but there's always time for a first...

"So's that why you held Nick at gunpoint?" The woman asked me. She could see the guy in the suit tried not to care, but I was briefly intent on killing him. I guess it would be kind of hard not to care about that, so she asked for him. I could tell he was the kind of guy that was too proud to admit he was scared by a girl about half his age.

"_No,_ I thought he was a zombie," I said sarcastically. "No dip, Sherlock." Sarcasm is my second language.

The woman laughed to herself, "I like your sister, Ellis." Her giggle sounded weird, but that could have been from the fact I'd been alone for about a week. All voices that weren't zombie growls sounded weird.

The oldest man snickered, too, "You gonna stick around, kid?"

I spoke softly, "If you'll take me. I got nowhere else to go." I held my head up, trying to be social before I teared up again, "You all know my name. Who are you?" I looked to everyone but my brother.

"Name's Rochelle."

"People call me Coach."

"Nick."

The introduction was interrupted by insane laughter, followed by my asking, "Rochelle, you mind if I borrow that?" I nodded to the hunting rifle she had on the table next to her. She handed me the rifle and I strapped the M16 to my back. I could see Jockey, but only just. It had to be a hundred yards away. I looked through the scope, my straight, black hair brushing against it. I lined up my shot and pulled the trigger twice. The Jockey went limp and died right there.

"Nice one," my brother praised, "Where'dja learn ta do that?"

I smirked, "Gotta hand it to the folks. Their paranoia finally paid off." Mom and Dad weren't all that paranoid really. It was only until they met Ellis' idiot friend Keith that they really started worrying about us. Dad taught me about guns when I was six and showed me how to shoot one when I was seven. By age eight, I was looking page after page through multiple gun magazines with Ellis.

With the Jockey taken care of and me, Nick, and Rochelle covering him (okay breaking down the door wasn't the best of ideas), Coach resumed his work on Ellis. There wasn't much to do, but it was still going to hurt for a long time. I tossed him a pill bottle between slicing some Infected with my katana and blasting them to pieces with my assault rifle. "Take two," I said to my brother. He took a dosage of them without question.

Now that he was all doctored up, he wanted to get moving towards Whispering Oaks, where an evacuation center was _supposed_ to be set up. "Y'all ready?" With a nod from the team, Ellis blasted the small horde that had appeared and destroyed them quickly before leaping down the stairs and turning behind the motels, the others following behind and me matching him, step for step and kill for kill. We came to a steep hill that lead to a river below.

"The safe house is just down river," I said, "looks like there's only one way down..." I cleared out the few zombies on the hill and slid down. The others were right behind me.

When we got to the bottom of the hill, we started off down river, but a yell sounded and the ground began to shake. "Shit!" Coach cursed. "Tank!"

The Tank emerged from the other side of the river, soon met with the gunfire from the Survivors. "Burn in Hell!" I cursed at the over-muscled monster as I lit a Molotov cocktail from my spiked belt and threw it. The Tank was now covered in fire, but its attention was now diverted towards me!

The Tank punched me, sending me flying into a tree, and incapacitating me instantly. "ARGH!" I yelled in agony at the pain of a broken leg. The Tank, still on fire, turned its attention to Nick. I did my best with the one pistol I had saved, but the Tank was too far. "HEY! HELP ME ALREADY" I yelled to my newly found, out-of-sight team. I just met them, and they could be dying, for all I knew.

"Hey ugly!" Ellis', now fully enraged voice snapped I guess to the Tank. It turned its attention to my brother. With one pure shot of luck, he shot the Tank dead in the face with the pump shotgun, making it collapse and die. Ellis' triumph was momentary until my groan of agony made him remember his new-found sister was lying on the ground with a potentially broken leg.

Rochelle, who was closest to me, tried helping me on my feet again, "Come on, come on. We need you for a bit," she encouraged as she helped me up, but I couldn't stand.

"Damn it! My leg's broken, isn't it?" I couldn't even place the slightest bit of weight on my right leg. Ellis took my weight on that side, and for once I was thankful for the malnutrition that slimmed me down beyond what I thought possible.

I groaned before saying, "There should be a safe house up that hill downriver, but I don't think I'll make it..."

"Hey!" Ellis said, "You'll be fine. Nick! Heal 'er up!"

Nick gave Ellis quite the look. "You're joking, right?" he asked.

"What's wrong Nick?" I asked. I couldn't help a petty jab there. "You afraid I'll bite?" I gave my best vampire hiss. _Man, I love messing with people!_

"Cut it out, Serene," Ellis snapped, though I could see the amusement in his blue eyes.

Nick gingerly patched up the scratches I'd taken from the Infected, and made a splint to hold my broken leg steady. The pain was nearly gone, only a few bruises left to show for my run in with the Tank other than the splint. "Thanks, I owe you one," I thanked Nick.

"Don't mention it, kid." Nick dismissed. Despite his seemingly calm attitude, I could sense this, for lack of a better way to say it, air about him; an air of caution. It almost made me smile knowing someone like him was scared by little old me. Messing with him would be fun.

When we had regrouped, we headed up the hill which flattened into a parking lot. There were only a few cars in it. "Don't shoot that car!" Nick warned. A reddish-orange car had its headlights flashing, and the alarm would attract more zombies then we needed right now.

I knew that already, but I was grateful for the reminder. I could be a lousy shot now and again (unless I had a scope. That was a different story altogether), and was just lucky not to shoot my teammates. I took out my katana, just in case some Infected decided to test me, though.

The safe house was just around the corner. "Safe house ahead!" I called to the group. The idea of safety made them hurry a little more. Within a few seconds, everyone was in the safe house. I closed the door and would've jumped with joy if my leg wasn't screwed up.

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><p><strong>Me: Any good? Lemme know! I need to hear from some one! Tell you what, gimme a review, and I'll give you a cookie! Serene likes attention!<strong>

**Serene: The button's down there! Click it! You know you want to! :D**

**Me: Until then, que votre vie m'a longtemps et joyeaux!**


	3. Chapter 3: Brother and Sister

**Well... Chapter 3 for anyone who might actually be reading this.**

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><p>Chapter 3: Brother and Sister<p>

I looked into my backpack to check my supplies. I still had the knife a great friend of mine gave me, as well as a first-aid kit, a pistol, some canned food, some extra clothing, and some memorabilia of my past. I propped myself against a wall in the safe house, holding the knife in my hand, just for the sense of security it gave me. Eventually, the quiet got too much to bear.

"Thanks again for letting me in your little group," I said to Ellis, who was the only one who didn't crash almost as soon as we got the door locked.

"Hungry?" Ellis offered. There was random assortment of canned goods in the safe house, too. I shook my head no. "Me neither."

"I have food if we need it, but it won't last long," I said with a sigh. I was _so_ sick of eating cold food, but what choice was there? _How I crave a plate of hot spaghetti. With apple pie for desert._

Ellis didn't like the quiet either. He always needed to talk to someone and I could tell by the look on his face that he was trying to find the words to say something, struggling to do so. Thankfully, I had something to say myself, "I've been following you guys for a while, actually."

"Really? How long?"

"Well, I saw Jimmy Gibbs Junior's car stuck behind the _worst_ traffic jam in the _history_ of traffic jams," I said. "I'd heard about the car being at Liberty Mall, back home. The Infected can't open doors, let alone drive, and you have _got_ to be the biggest Jimmy Gibbs Junior fan, _ever. _Call it a hunch."

"You're a smart kid," Ellis told me, "If Ah got stuck in yer shoes, Ah don't think Ah'd make it too far."

"You're just saying that. I'm not _that_ smart..." I said, starting to slump over in sadness. My long, straight hair fell in front of my face. "If I was so smart, don't you think I'd have found you earlier, or that we wouldn't have gotten separated in the first place?"

"You're with us now," Ellis pointed out.

More of my hair fell in front of my face, "You don't understand. I watched our parents die!" Normally, I would have started to cry, but when I was alone, I cried so much I didn't have any tears left. Not for my parents, anyway...

Ellis knelt down to my level and brushed my hair out of my face, so he could look me directly in the eyes, "Ah'll take care of ya, Ah promise. Mom and Dad wouldn't've told'ja ta find me if they didn't just _know_ Ah would," Ellis assured me. That made me feel a little better, but what Ellis said next caught me off guard, "You know, Ah was thinkin', Ah know ya kinda have ta learn how ta kill stuff nowadays, but why were ya so keen ta shoot Nick?"

I looked Ellis dead in the eye. _I've never been too good at hiding my emotions..._ "I've been wandering these parts trying to find you, our parents were killed by zombies and I'd been _alone _for _two __weeks_. I'm borderline _suicidal_ in my search for you, or _anyone_ who could help me. The first non-zombie person I see, the first bit of happiness I've felt in ages, and he tries to keep me from, as far as I know, the only person in my family left. I was going off rage when that happened. "

Ellis smirked, "Ah think ya scared 'em. 'Course, he ain't gonna say he was scared by a twenty-two-year-old girl." That would've made me laugh, but there was a zombie near, as revealed by the gurgle/shriek it gave off. It didn't really scare me, but I had realized almost right when the apocalypse started that the world would never go back to normal.

Ellis must have heard my depressed sigh, "I ain't gonna let them zombies getcha. Get some rest." I didn't feel much better about the whole "world falling to pieces" part, but it made me smile knowing Ellis would help me kill them. And to think that there was one point in my life where I couldn't stand talking to him.

"Ellis?"

_"_Mm-hmm?"

"There's azombie-clown at the door." Ellis quickly grabbed his pistol and shot it. Rochelle's eyes fluttered open, but they closed tiredly again and Nick muttered something in his sleep about "Goddamn zombies." Although the ex-clown was taken down, Ellis remained atthe door, on guard. I wondered if the rest of the group was going to be so willing to defend me as if I'd been there with them the whole time. I had just met them after all. Heh, I knew Nick already wasn't all that fond of me, but things change, especially in life-or-death situations...

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><p><strong>Short chapter is short. Since this is so short, I'll add the next one now. <strong>

**Happy Friday the 13th! And thanks for reviewing guys. I look forward to more of them. Critics, flames, or just saying you like it is more than welcome! **


	4. Chapter 4: Into the Carnival

**Okay, two chapters in one day... I can haz reviews?**

**Serene: If you'd write better, MAYBE you'd get some reviews!**

**Yeesh! Did someone tick you off or something?**

**Serene: Meh.**

**Whatever. START THE STORY! Oh, I still don't own Left 4 Dead. That would be VALVe. Though if I owned VALVe... (plots)**

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><p>"Serene! Hey, you gotta get up," Ellis voice seemed to echo in my now conscious mind. "We gotta get movin' soon."<p>

"Ugh..." I mumbled as my eyes adjusted to the light. "I'm up, I'm up." I sat up and ran my fingers through my pitch black hair, so I would look relatively decent, even though I knew there was no point to it; I could very well die today.

I tiredly grabbed some ammunition for my M16 and replaced the pistol I kept in my backpack with a magnum pistol. Nick almost gave me questioning look but it was gone shortly. I smiled. Weary of me or not, Nick knew I could handle myself. Much better than when we first met and he called me a little girl.

Turning to the rest of the group, I asked, "You guys ready to get moving?"

"You sure your leg can take it?" Rochelle asked as she loaded her semiautomatic. I thought Rochelle worried too much and rolled my eyes. She didn't catch it.

"I'll be fine so long as I don't put too much weight on it for too long," I insisted. True statement. It didn't really hurt in comparison to how other wounds I've had felt. I had a broken collar bone back when I was twelve. Don't ask how... it wasn't pretty.

"If that's the case, let's go," Coach said.

Coach removed the bar that blocked off another red steel door. There were a few of the yellow-eyed zombies, but not much else. Just as we were entering the amusement park, a Hunter made itself known to us.

"Punk-ass Hunter 'round here..." Coach warned.

I focused in on my surroundings and switched out my katana for my M16. The Hunter shrieked once more, closer this time. I looked around for it, but I didn't see it anywhere. "HUNTER, HUNTER, HUNTER!" Ellis called, snapping my attention towards him.

I saw the Hunter, alright. It was hard to miss the fact it had Ellis pinned and was clawing at his chest! I aimed straight and true at the hooded zombie that was clawing my brother. I pulled the trigger and held it tight. When I let go, the Hunter was dead. Ellis groaned with pain. His t-shirt had a lot of fresh blood on it.

He must have seen my concern and before I got into one of my panic sessions (also not pretty), he said, "This ain't all _my_ blood." I wasn't entirely convinced, but I could tell all too well when he lied to me. He'd make eye contact, unlike most people when they lie, but he wouldn't be able to keep it for long.

With the Hunter dealt with, we continued our journey. We passed some sort of shooting game with a gnome for a prize. I could only wonder what I was supposed to do with it, so I ignored it. There were some pain pills nearby and I knew someone was going to need them, so I stuffed them into my backpack. There wasn't much more room in it now.

I was snapped from my thoughts by Nick's warning, "GOO INBOUND!" I rocketed away from my location. Soon enough, the Spitter goo hit the ground with a vile sizzling sound. Nick must not have moved fast enough, because soon after he was cursing from the pain of the acid.

I spotted the Spitter responsible, but Coach beat me to it. With a swift shot from his pump shotgun, it was killed and left a little puddle of acid where it stood. It was an impressive hit, "Nice shot, Coach."

So we got going again. Eventually, we came across the Kiddie Land part of the amusement park. Ellis exclaimed, "Holy shit, guys! Kiddie Land!" I rolled my eyes. "I wanna ride one, just one! Man when are we ever gonna be here again?"

"I wish I could be that happy..." I heard Rochelle murmur. "Ah, to hell with it. Woo! Kiddie Land!" I smirked.

Coach called to the team, "This way!" Before I could ask how he knew, I saw a sketch of a house with a cross inside. An arrow pointed away from the drawing, the same way Coach was heading. Before we could get too far, a moan pierced the quiet air. I hate Witches. Now that I think about it... I hate all of the Infected.

"I'll give her something to cry about," Rochelle muttered "Kill your lights."

We wandered a bit longer, eventually finding ourselves on top of a large slide. I smirked as I ignored Ellis going on about how this was the perfect chance to ride all these rides. Either way, I ran down the slide along with Ellis.

When we were at the bottom, it seemed like we landed in the middle of a mini-horde. Ellis' combat shotgun mowed them down quickly, and my katana took down whatever he missed. The random Infected and the clowns that led them fell until there was only one left, a platinum-blonde woman that was all hunched over. My brother almost went after her, but I barred his way with my arm. "You _idiot!_ Are you _really_ going to try that twice?" I whispered.

"What are you talkin' 'bout?" Ellis whispered back, borderline annoyed.

I wanted to slap my hand to my forehead, but I decided against it, "Are you _deaf_ or something? That's the Witch, stupid!" Ellis stopped dead. She was right in the way of a set of stairs that led eventually to the safe house, shown by an arrow pointing up the stairs.

"What do think we should do?" I said as I turned to the group.

Nick decided to point out the obvious, "We can't sneak around her, we can't just open fire on her or she'll manage to take one of us down, and we can't set her on fire and outrun her either."

All of these were true. Dying wasn't an option, though my uncle didn't think so, and there were no Molotov cocktails or gas cans around to set her ablaze. After a moment of thought, I had an idea.

"Lemme borrow your shotgun, Coach," I whispered.

"Don't do anything stupid now," he said cautiously as he handed me the weapon.

With the combat shotgun in hand, I ordered to the group, "Stay back, I mean it. Whatever happens, unless this doesn't work and she gets me, don't try to attack the Witch."

"You're going alone?" Rochelle exclaimed. She was hushed quickly, "That's suicide!" she whispered, but it was clearly meant to be yelled at me.

"Trust me, there's no other safe way. I've seen someone take down a Witch just like this before. Guys," I turned to witch then back the group, "wish me luck and don't let me die."

Before anyone else could say anything, I snuck up to the Witch. I started praying for protection as her cry turned into a soft growl. My heart pounded, but I pressed forward anyways. The growl got louder as the Witch came to her feet. I aimed for the Witch's back and shot her point blank. The Witch cried in pain, but that was it for her.

My arms and legs felt like jelly. I killed a _Witch _with _one_ shot! The rest of the group was instantly right behind me, cheering me on and congratulating me, "How did you do _that_?" Rochelle demanded, clearly in awe.

I struggled to stay on my feet, let alone speak. "I-I gotta sit down..." I went so do so, but I saw the black circle close in on my vision and I collapsed.

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><p><strong>Well... how would YOU feel if you just cr0wned a Witch? Kinda weirded out, right?<strong>

**Serene: So you had me feint?**

**Heh heh heh. Gets MUCH worse than that, Serene (smirks)**

**Serene: HELP ME!**


	5. Chapter 5: Out but Not Down

**Yes, I'm still alive. Man... I really need to find new inspiration.**

**Serene: Have you tried music?**

**I don't want a songfic, Serene. Thanks though. As usual, I don't own Left 4 Dead or VALVe. Serene would be a real character if I did.**

**Serene: What do you mean, I'm not a real character?**

**Erm... Nothing! On with the story! Theres a bit where Serene isn't narrating. Why? Because it's kind of hard to narrate while your KO'd.**

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><p>(Out of POV)<p>

Serene's unconscious body hit the ground with a slight _thud. _Her knees hit the ground, as if she were kneeling, and then fell onto her back limply, her forest green eyes rolling back into her head. She almost mirrored the body of the Witch in front of her, save the blood pooling around her and long claws.

Ellis ran over to his sister, uncaring of what he might have seen when he got there. "No-no-no-no-no..." he murmured. He thought he heard Nick call him, but he ignored him, far too worried for his sister to see what he wanted.

Ellis noticed the slow, steady rise and fall of his sister's chest. She was still alive, and Ellis allowed himself to relax a little, but not much. She was still lying in a pool of blood that could have come from either woman.

"Is she okay?" came Rochelle's voice from behind.

"She don't _look _hurt. Man... How'd she _do_ that?" Ellis questioned as excitedly as he could force. It was an amazing feat. Witches were faster and possibly stronger than Tanks. At least you could out run the over-muscled beasts. Ellis could do little more than think that as he looked into the mutilated remains of the Witch's face. He felt his skin crawl a little.

"Maybe it's a weakness? We need every advantage we can get..." Rochelle murmured.

As if the world were punishing them for finding the new method, a horde led by a couple of the Infected clowns started to come from nowhere, giving off their growls. Ellis noted how Serene's eyes fluttered open, only to close again. Soon, he was kneeling on the ground, trying to get her up while the others tried to hold back the horde until the Goth was up again.

"Come on Serene, stay with me!" Ellis yelled at her. He was greeted with Serene's eyelids tightening, almost annoyed. In hindsight, Ellis realized that he messed with Serene in her sleep too much. "This ain't the time fer that, Serene. GIT UP! NOW!"

(Serene POV)

"GIT UP! NOW!"

I fluttered my eyes open. I blinked away the droplets of blood stuck to my lashes. I felt lightheaded and just horrible, "Ugh, my head..."

"Ain't got no time fer that now, Serene. Come on!" Ellis handed me my M16. I wasn't sure what just happened, but I knew what was happening now...

A horde had come when I was out. _Nice timing, Ellis. Really. I don't suppose you could've woken me up afterwards while you guys fought, huh? _It's not like I couldn't handle myself. It was more along the lines of being dizzy and miserable. I got up anyway, taking my M16 back and started firing into the crowd of Infected.

"You alright?" Rochelle called out to me over the fire of her AK-47.

"Never better. I just passed out, is all," I responded sarcastically. I felt weak, like I could faint again, almost. My head was pounding, but some painkillers would fix that. What was annoying me the most was the worthless, wore-out feeling.

"You don't need Coach to carry you, do you?" Nick asked. He was met with some chuckles from Rochelle and Ellis and a sneer from Coach and me.

"I'll be fine." I insisted out of my own independence. I hate being helped unless I need it. _Really_ need it. Like... Matter of _life-or-death_ need it.

"If yer ready, let's go." Ellis said.

Now, I didn't move as quickly as I did before, if you could count hobbling as fast as you can with a broken leg in an amatuer splint quick, I could keep up as we moved on. The stairs led to a small hallway-like area with one room with some extra ammunition and four bottles of pills: one for everyone but me, but I already had one in my backpack.

When we were done there, we moved on to a ledge that looked out over a carousel. There was a fence all around it, separating us from the rest of the park.

"So much for that," I muttered, still woozy from waking up.

Nick dropped off the ledge, heading for the merry-go-round's controls. "If we flip this switch, the gate will open," he noted.

Ellis followed him, Rochelle, Coach, and me behind him. "I hope you know what you're doing, Nick..." I murmured under my breath.

Nick threw the switch. While it did open the gate, the carousel began to turn. The music and lights came on, followed by a loud roar from possibly hundreds of zombies. The gate opened slowly, making it more frustrating for impatient little me. When it finally got open enough for me to squeeze in, I made a beeline for the other side of the carousel, where hopefully someone would be able to turn it off.

I held tight to my katana, destroying anything in my way. I almost hit Rochelle once, but she didn't notice because she was dealing with several zombies led by a zombie-clown with squeaky shoes. Hell, _I_ didn't even notice what was going on when I felt something tugging me away, followed by a choking feeling. When I began to get dragged away from the others, I figured it out, "GAH! SMOKER'S GOT ME!" I yelled at the others. I tried to fight my way out of it, but I couldn't get loose from the _disgusting_ tongue. When the Smoker had me pulled all the way in, I almost didn't have enough air to scream.

With a loud gunshot, the constricting grip of the Smoker was gone. It was Nick, who shot the horrible tongue with his magnum pistol. I took in as much air as I could, but I still couldn't move.

The Smoker wasn't dead though, or it would have released me. It was just weakened. Nick shot it in the head, and it collapsed, releasing me and giving off a cloud of green smoke.

I collapsed to my knees, my lungs craving clean air. I wasn't even aware of Nick, who was now right beside me, until he spoke to me, "You alright, kid?"

After a cough, I replied, "Yeah... I'll be okay... Is that... Is that god_damn_ carousel off?"

"It's off. Let's get back to the others," Nick said.

I attempted to stand, but once again, I felt too weak to walk and I just collapsed again. Nick looked back to me, "I just... need some time... to catch my breath..." I said between heavy breaths. Nick signaled to the other Survivors, making them wait. After a few seconds, I rose to my feet, "Okay, I'm good." With that, Nick led me back to the others. "I owe you one." _Man, feinted once and almost again just now? Could this get much worse? Wait... yes. It could get worse... WAAAY worse... Tank would be GOD AWFUL right now... DON'T GET ANY IDEAS WHATEVER TELLS THE ZOMBIES TO ATTACK!*_

"Serene! You okay? Say somethin'!" My brother demanded about as soon as we got back.

"She'll be _fine_, Overalls," Nick said pointedly, "She just wanted a moment to catch her breath."

Ellis, regardless of what Nick said, checked over me. "Ellis!" I snapped, "I. Am. Okay. Let's get a move on before a Jockey or something shows up."

Ellis was clearly not entirely convinced, "That's twice today ya nearly feinted. You sure yer alright?"

"I'll be fine, Ellis. I'm not going to die now," I said exasperatedly. With a smirk I added, "You'd be a wreck without me."

"Yeah... Ah prolly would..."

With the hack of a Spitter nearby, we moved on. The carousel wasn't far from the safe house and my thoughts were confirmed by another drawing. All was pretty quiet, though I began to think my brother was starting to get a little too protective. I pushed the thought out of my mind as I obliterated an Infected clown and the two or three zombies it was attracting. Ellis had good reason to be protective of me; I could be the only family

I checked my thoughts for who else might be alive in our family. I was surprised how easy and unemotional it was to think of everything that happened to them, given I watched it happen...

_Mom and Dad were killed by a Tank... Uncle Jack turned into a Charger. Aunt Emma's a Witch... Yeah. We're it._

"Safe house ahead!" Rochelle's call snapped my attention forward. Sure enough, the safe house, marked with the red metal door, was built within the tunnel of love. I felt relieved. This day wore me out.

Insane laughter filled the air. "Sounds like a Jockey..." I noted. I noticed Ellis pull a little closer to me in that protective way he has, but this time I was thankful. _Damn perverted bastards... _I hate Jockeys the most of the "special" infected. I put the Tank and Witch as King and Queen of the zombies and don't count them. My hatred of them is on a different level altogether.

Jockeys are just gross. Sure Spitters are really ugly, but they don't freaking ride you around like a perv.

It dropped out of nowhere, and the Jockey managed to get Ellis. There wasn't much I could do without hurting him. With a quick curse under my breath, I ran to catch up to my brother, now being steered away from the safe house and back towards the carousel. I punched the Jockey off of my brother then riddled its flesh with bullets like a firing squad. The little freak was dead after about three seconds.

"I hate Jockeys..." I said as I handed Ellis a bottle of pills. The Jockey had done a lot of damage to him. He was torn up really bad in general. The back of his shirt was streaked red with his own blood, his chest the same, his arms looked like he'd been cut up with an axe, and he was limping, so I could tell his leg was messed up pretty bad, too.

"Get your asses inside!" Rochelle called out from the safe house.

Ellis opened his mouth to retort but changed his mind. I, now trying to support him and take the weight off of his leg, did it for him, "Hold your horses, we're coming!"

Ellis must have been hurting real bad. The blood on his clothes didn't look like it was _all_ his, but his face and arms were covered in scratches from Infected. "I ain't gonna lie, this hurts!" He took the pain pills I had given him quickly. The pain would be back if he didn't get _real_ first aid, but he'd be better for a while.

When we made it inside, Nick closed the door behind us. "That was _way_ too close..." he said. I couldn't agree more, but now wasn't the time for that.

I, now that I had the time, took out my first-aid kit and began to patch up my big brother, cleaning the scratches with the oxygen peroxide and bandaging them up. When I was finished, you'd never think Ellis was even hurt if it wasn't for the bloodstains.

"Didn't remember ya bein' such a doctor, Serene," Ellis stated, slight surprise in his Southern tone. The same tone that I lost a while back when I moved to Detroit. I almost miss it...

I smiled, "Gotta give that to the apocalypse. It's taught me some important skills."

Ellis yawned, "Well, I'm gonna get some sleep."

"Who's on guard tonight?"

"That would be me." It was Nick.

"I feel safer already," I teased. Nick rolled his eyes in response.

Ellis, Rochelle and Coach propped themselves up against a wall of the safe house in the Tunnel of Love. They were out within the minute. I sat in a corner, holding my knife and tracing the intricate snake design on the hilt. I gazed at my reflexion in the blade. My face was aged with dark circles and my green eyes were now somewhat haunted. I could have sworn I'd seen a gray hair, too.

I plucked it out, muttering, "I don't believe it. Twenty-two and I have a gray hair..."

Actually, it wasn't my first. That was when I saw Ellis run inside with Keith's blood all over from a lawn mower bumper car ride they made. Mom feinted and Dad was at work, so guess who had to call the ambulance? Me. In retrospect, I would gladly take getting Keith to the hospital over knowing my only family left is Ellis and being in a zombie apocalypse. Guess you never know how good you have it until you don't have it anymore...

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><p><strong>*Yes. Serene knows about the AI Director. Sort of. BUT DON'T TELL HER! Ahem... Now I suppose some of you might be wondering, "Why isn't there much action in this? This IS a LEft 4 Dead Fanfiction after all." Well, I try to throw in zombies here and there, but to be honest, I'm better at the mental aspect of the zombie apocalypse. Serene is psycho and can handle killing zombies, but she can't handle watching her ENTIRE FAMILY die. That's also why Ellis seems a little OOC. He's worried about his sister.<strong>

**Serene: Nawwwwww...**

**Don't you Nawwww me! You still have hell to get through.**

**Serene: Meh. As long as we know SOMEONES READING!**

**Yeah, some reviews would be nice please ^_^**


	6. Chapter 6: Tunnel of Love

**Well... these last few chapters have SUCKED...**

**Serene: At least you have people reading it! You have a lot of hits, just not many reviews.**

**Ah, so true. Now, on with story. This one is more of the mental stuff, like I said. Yay flashbacks!**

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><p>As I cleaned my M16, I couldn't help but think of anything that came to mind. Given our current location in the Tunnel of Love, what came to mind was depressing.<p>

_Chris was sitting on the couch in my room, watching the news on the recent outbreak; the Green Flu. I was in the other room, brushing my jet-black hair. It was an average day._

_ "Serene? Have you seen this thing?" his voice came._

_ "You're going to have to be a little more specific," I called back._

_ "The Green Flu. It started in New England and its spreading fast. It's already here."_

_ I dismissed it, "I'm sure it's just another flu scare. Like that H1N1 thing last year."_

_ "And you got the flu twice that year. Maybe we should head out West…"_

_ I didn't see the point. "For what? To avoid it? If it _is_ something to be worried about, it'll spread westward, too."_

_ "I guess you're –" he was cut off by a horrible cough that hurt me to hear it. When I entered my living room, Chris was coughing up blood._

_ "Oh my God!" I all but screamed. I raced for the telephone and dialed 9-1, but before I could dial the second 1, Chris stopped coughing. His skin was paled and his eyes shone yellow._

_ "Serene… I… I love you…" he choked out before giving into another coughing fit. Before my very eyes, he grew claws where his fingers used to be and he growled like a feral animal._

_ "Chris?"_

_ He shrieked and slashed at me in response. I ran from him, unsure of what was happening. All I knew was Chris was gone and the thing that took over wanted to kill me._

_ I ran into my bedroom with my heart racing with fear and tears threatening to fall, and pushed my back against the door. I heard another shriek. A clawed hand broke through part of the door and flailed at random, attempting to land a strike. Thinking quickly, I reached under my bed and removed my snake-hilted dagger from its case._

_ By time the knife was out of the box and unwrapped, Chris had broken in. He crouched down and pounced like a cat, knocking me to the ground._

_ "I love you, too, Chris!" I wailed as I drove my dagger into his chest. His body went limp on top of me and his blood poured out of the wound. I shoved him off of me and backed into the corner of my bedroom and cried until I considered dragging the blade across my throat. _

_What stopped me was my cellphone giving off a deep, Southern-accented male voice singing, "The devil bowed his head, 'cause he knew that he'd been beat, and he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said, 'Devil, just come on back if ya ever wanna try again. Ah done told you once you son-of-a-bitch; Ah'm the best there's ever been…" and vibrating on my dresser. _

_Ellis' call._

Nick's voice soon cut through my thoughts, but I was grateful, "Bringing back any memories Coach? You. A cheeseburger. Romance in the air?"

"How many Tunnel of Love memories you got, Nick?" was all Coach's response was.

"Pfft. _Several._ Easily," Nick shrugged off.

I smiled, thankful for the comic relief, and put my gun back together, preparing for the battle ahead. I grabbed some ammunition for my assault rifle and tried to tune out Ellis' ramblings.

It didn't work. Like it _ever_ did?

"Ah ever tell ya 'bout the time Keith drowned in the Tunnel of Love? Ya wouldn't _think_ it could happen, since the water's so shallow. But that's how it gets ya, man. _Overconfidence._ Ya see, Keith was with this lady at the time, and he was yellin' at her to help him but she didn't wanna get wet..."

"Ellis, sweetie, can this wait?" Rochelle interrupted warily. I had to agree. _Why is it he always has a need to tell one of his stories when we're ready to go? _Of course, _I_ learned a long time ago to just let him ramble, or there would be another. _I guess they haven't learned that yet..._

So with the rest of us ready to get out of here, we set off. The lights in there were a headache-inducing shade of pink. I smashed some of the bulbs as I passed them purely out of spite for the color.

Maybe I had snapped or something, but after that thought I could've sworn I heard gunfire in the distance. _The zombies can't use guns. Is it more survivors or the military and CEDA?_

I wasn't the only one who heard them, redeeming my faith in my sanity. Coach stopped in his tracks and looked around for the source of the sound.

"Y'all hear that, too?" he asked.

Nick, Rochelle and Ellis stopped where they stood and listened. Another dull, distant bang rang through the fairgrounds. Several more followed.

"More survivors!" Rochelle exclaimed, her voice full of hope.

I listened on. The gunshots got closer and closer together. The steady rat-a-tat from a machine gun, the louder booms from a shotgun, all of them very clear... and then were silenced.

"More bodies..." I muttered.

"Or zombies," Nick agreed grimly.

I heard Coach murmur something under his breath. It was too quiet to hear, but I think he was praying. I never took him for the religious type, but you have to believe in some higher power, right? Especially now that there isn't much more to believe in...

Ain't the apocalypse_ grand?_

My thoughts were forgotten when I saw more of the zombies standing ahead of us. Some of them noticed us, but they were met with a bullet to the skull before they could do anything.

But one gunshot gets you more attention. More attention = more zombies.

Before we could believe it, we were swarmed by the zombies. There weren't all that many, like when we had the carousel going, but it seemed like they were_ everywhere. _I swung my katana and beheaded one of the zombies, tore the arm off another, and embedded my sword in the shoulder of another.

I pulled the sword away and killed what was left with a wide slash and stepped over the bodies. I kind of expected myself to adjust quickly enough to the killing, psychopath that I am, but somehow seeing Ellis the same way was just weird. Watching the way he naturally swung that axe around, or how he was _enjoying_ shooting zombies... it made me wonder about _his_ mental stability. And _I'm_ the borderline insane one...

_Murderer. _My conscience – or was it one of the voices? – scolded me.

_I am not. It's self-defense!_

_ Keep telling yourself that. I'm sure that'll help when you see someone you know as a zombie._

_ That can't happen. They're all dead._

_ Not Ellis. Or Nick, or Coach, or Rochelle..._

Damn conscience. Guilt flooded my thoughts. If I saw one of them turning... I doubt I could've done anything more than cry if Ellis turned. I'd probably threaten his killer with the same fate. DAMN IT, NOW MY IMAGINATION'S GOT ME THINKING AGAIN!

Somehow it seemed too real.

Ellis with feral yellow eyes, sickly pale skin, blood on his hands... that image was enough to freak me out. The image of one of the others firing into his skull? Scarring. The idea of me killing them after...? I shook my head.

My parents always told me that revenge is more like stooping to the wrong-doer's level, but I think they'd make an exception.

My murderous thoughts were interrupted by a Witch sobbing in the distance. I felt utter dread of when we would stumble upon her. Following the tunnel, it wasn't like we could sneak around her. Not like killing her like that bitch a while back was either. _What would I do to just wake up in my apartment in Detroit safe from the zombies? Well... damn-near anything._

We just glanced around at each other, prompting one another for an idea or something. I looked to Coach, the pseudo-leader of the group.

"Ain't like the bitch is right in front of us. Let's go on 'till we find 'er and worry 'bout it then," Coach said. _Well played, Coach. Well played..._

So we moved on, Rochelle taking the lead. I trailed behind, partially looking for supplies more than anything else. I never found anything, and that tunnel was giving me a headache. It _smelled_ in there, too. Like dead bodies and blood. I know, it's weird, all things considered, but at least outside there was a breeze to blow the stench away. In here? Nothing.

"God, I hate the Tunnel of Love," I muttered under my breath.

"You got any Tunnel of Love memories?" Nick said in that cynical, teasing way.

Time to mess with people's heads, "Yup. Killed someone in one." The look Rochelle shot me was priceless. At her confused, fear-stricken expression I said, "I'm kidding. I don't have any."

"I wonder why," Nick said in that sarcastic tone that meant it was clearly not a question.

I turned to him and said, "I _had_ boyfriends, Nick."

He snickered and said, "Name one."

"Francis."

Rochelle stopped in her tracks and did a 180 on her heels, "Francis?"

"Yeah. First boyfriend after I moved to Detroit. Biker-type. He traveled a lot, but the last I heard he was up north, somewhere in New England, I think. Why?" How did Rochelle know Francis? _Please not let it be the same guy! Please!_

"You mean that greasy vest-wearing monkey we met in Rayford? You dated _him?_ No taste..." Nick shook his head. I punched him in the arm. Albeit, I don't remember what I saw in Francis (maybe it was because I was about to get mugged and he just happened to be around), that doesn't mean I wasn't offended.

"We ran into him on the way... well... _here_ I guess," Rochelle said, "He was heading to the Keys to escape the zombies if I remember right." Coach nodded, confirming her story.

Ellis snickered, "He was totally checkin' Ro out." She elbowed him in the stomach, telling him to shut up.

Most girls would be enraged to hear that their ex-boyfriend was checking another girl out, but... I personally think it's a waste of time. Besides, Francis dumped me... was it two years ago? "It's no biggie. I got my revenge on him a long time ago. I destroyed one of his precious bikes with a golf club." I smirked at the memory.

"Glad to hear it. Sorry about whatever came between you," Rochelle said politely.

"Rochelle," I murmured, then sighed, "That was a lifetime ago."

My thoughts almost had me forgetting about the Witch. We saw her towards the end of the Tunnel, but we didn't have to go that way. We had a way out of this Godforsaken tunnel. I was relieved to be free of the pink-and-purple tunnel of death, but the tension was replaced. The Screaming Oak, Ellis' favorite ride, was now towering over us.

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><p><strong>Serene: Kinda short...<strong>

**DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP! I'm just glad the writer's block's gone!**


	7. Chapter 7: Carnival Rides

**Sorry for the wait. I'm not gonna lie to what readers I have, I lost interest. It's back though. Do I need to say that I don't own anything but Serene? Well… I don't. You wouldn't play Left 4 Dead 1 or 2 if I did.**

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><p>"There's a safe house on the other side of the coaster," I noted as I dodged a Spitter's ball of acid. I sighed when I noticed there wasn't a clear way around the monstrosity. "We're going have to start it, aren't we?"<p>

"We get to _run_ the coaster?" Ellis asked in disbelief. Cheerily, he exclaimed, "_Holy shit_, it's Christmas!"

Was this some sort of _game_ to him? Did he think if we died we'd just come _back_ later? Or reappear in some closet down the road?* Why couldn't he act his age and not act like a five-year-old?_ And people wonder why I have some gray hair at age twenty-two._

"What I'd do for a hard drink about now..." I muttered.

"You an' me both, kid," Coach agreed. He looked to Ellis, "Boy, you are wearin' me out."

Ellis either ignored him or didn't care. He was too involved in shooting a few other zombies. I didn't mind that too much. What I _did_ mind was him being so wound up.

He was like this _all_ the time, you know. You'd think that maybe he got it from Keith, but no, Keith was actually _sane_ before he met Ellis. You'd also probably think that the zombies would wear him down a little. _Nooooooo..._ he had to see it the _perfect_ opportunity to take Jimmy Gibbs Junior's stock car, or to ride _every_ ride in the fairgrounds here at Whispering Oaks. And people think _I'm_ a freak.

_Is Ellis even _less_ sane than me? I doubt that's possible!_

Oh yeah, one more thing you should probably know. The whole zombie apocalypse thing turns a girl with a dark, haunting past into something that belongs in a straightjacket in a white, padded room.

My thoughts were interrupted by more scared ones. Ones that came with steps so loud, the windows of the nearby buildings rattled, so heavy that the ground shook beneath my very feet.

"Shit!" Coach yelled, "TANK!"

For the life of me... and the others I guess... I couldn't find the damn thing. The beasts are ten feet tall and seven feet wide, and I couldn't understand why I couldn't find it!

Well... I found it. It was coming from behind.

I turned in time to see it send Rochelle flying into the side of a semi-truck with a massive punch. I ran as fast as I could towards her, firing at the Tank the entire way.

I tried to see if Rochelle was okay, but _damn_ Tanks are fast! This one had its sights set on _me_ now, and I was a little busy trying to dodge the blows to help her. The best I could do was keeping it away from her as I let the bullets fly through the air, when...

**Click.**

_Damn it._

I could've sworn the Tank grinned when my M16 ran out of ammunition. It raised its log-like arm to punch me, and I went _flying!_ The wind was knocked out of me, but I think that was it. No broken ribs yet, and the splint was holding up pretty well, so far.

_Thank God for Nick and his medical knowledge, however he may have gotten it!_

I got up to see the Tank after Ellis and Coach. Determination blazed like a wildfire within me as I reloaded my M16.

And I gave in to one of my... weirder... habits. It's not one I succumb to all the time, just when I'm beyond pissed. It's not one I'm particularly proud of, either. It lost me one of best friends.

I turn into something... uh... slightly like a...

Serial killer.

Yeah, not my shining moments. _Maybe that's why the police figured I killed those boys so long ago... though I was at Ellis' the _entire_ time..._

According to everyone who's seen me like that, which is Ellis and two friends of mine, you can _see_ the blood-lust in my eyes and I get stronger and faster than it seems I am able.

I held to my katana as the Tank pounded away after my brother. I raced after it, anger burning within me like a wildfire. I gripped my katana and swung as hard as I could.

I looked down at the dead Tank. Blood was still pouring from its neck. It had turned to face me mid-strike, and I damn near beheaded it. _Good riddance, Tank._

I wiped my hair and the Tank's blood from my face, trying to clear my vision again as I took deep breaths to calm down. Not that I was scared or anything like that, but because… well…

That was fun.

"Nice one, Serene!" Rochelle called from her spot, "Didn't know you had it in you!"

"There's a lotta things you don't know about me..." Imuttered under my breath. Louder I said, "You alright, Ellis?"

"Yeah, Ah'm good. How 'bout you? Is your splint holdin'?"

"It's doing fine. Nick did a great job making the splint."

That last sentence tasted like vinegar.

I can't _stand_ it when Nick finds the need to make a snide comment about Ellis' Southern heritage (and indirectly, mine, too). I had this feeling that I couldn't trust him, too. Ellis, Rochelle and Coach might've, but something told me that if we weren't in the zombie apocalypse, I wouldn't exactly be hanging around him.

Am I an angel in disguise? _Hell_ no. Some people believed that people who dressed like me were the spawn of Satan, actually. That's stupid. I never have claimed to be a perfect little girl, but I lack the capacity for murder. I may be able to kill zombies and annoy the crap out of my brother, but to kill another human? Out of the question... most of the time... _If only the cops thought so._

Personally, I like the term "Angel of Darkness" as a description for myself.

"Good. If somethin' happens to it, lemme know. Can't have ya stayin' behind, now can we?" Ellis said, wearing that cheesy grin of his.

So we ran onto the tracks of the roller coaster. I did my best to keep up, but that last punch from the Tank did quite a number. Having the wind knocked out of you takes a toll, you know. I started panting after going down the first few hills, but I still managed to keep up.

The next thing I know, I hear Rochelle call out for help. A Jockey had a hold of her and started dragging her off the tracks. She managed to grab hold of the edge before she fell, and I was right there to help her back up.

The horde was right behind me however, and trying to fight them off while helping Rochelle up seemed impossible. I looked down to check the height, she would probably die if she let go.

"Can you hold on for a little bit longer?" I asked her as I reached into my backpack.

"Make it quick!" she called.

I grabbed the glass jar with the biohazard warning on it and a green liquid inside. I threw it down the track, from where the zombies were coming from. The glass shattered, releasing the Boomer bile. It covered a lot of them, and they soon began attacking each other.

With panic acting as a natural adrenaline shot, I began getting Rochelle back on the tracks. She isn't heavy, but she couldn't get a decent hold and I had to pull her entire weight. No, she isn't heavy at all, but I'm not exactly strong. I did, however, manage to pull her up without dislocating anything, which had to be my proudest achievement in a while.

We ran to catch up, which was no problem. A Spitter blocked the path ahead of us with a puddle of sizzling, green goo and her body was about five feet farther down the track.

Some of us fired at the Infected coming from behind, some cleared out down the tracks. It was hectic, but none of the zombies actually made it closer to us. Nothing we couldn't handle, really.

Of course, all good things must come to an end.

Before I could call out, the battle cry of a Charger sounded. I looked around for it, but I saw it just as it came running towards me.

I think I had time to say, "Oh, shit." Before it charged me up the tracks, bowling over everyone else, and rammed me into what I think was fencing.

It held me with its oversized hand around my waist and lifted me up as if I were a paper weight. It pushed me into the tracks of the coaster, giving off an indistinct grunt while doing so. I was only able to call for help as it tried to kill me.

"LEMME GO! GUYS! HELP!"

I heard a couple rounds of gunshot getting farther and farther away, but I couldn't tell if that was really because they were actually leaving me, or if it was because I was dying.

Before I completely lost hope, I got a glimpse of Ellis with his axe. As the Charger bashed me into the ground for the third time, he buried the axe head into it. The Charger was dead, thank God for that, but I couldn't get up.

The splint on my leg was destroyed. Nick was going to hate me for that.

"Help me!" I begged Ellis.

"Like Ah was gonna leave ya in the first place?"

Ellis got me back on my feet... foot... whatever... but he knew I wasn't gonna get far with only one leg.

"Ah'm gonna have ta carry ya. You gotta cover us, okay?" Ellis said as he picked me up.

"Sure thing," I said, taking the one magnum I'd saved from my backpack and switching the safety off.

Ellis ran along the tracks, unhindered by my weight. I cleared out the zombies in the way, hitting most with a head shot. It was easy, actually. The hard thing was not focusing on how awkward Ellis carrying me was and remembering my splint was in shambles.

Suddenly, the alarm that sounded with the start of the coaster was turned off. I guessed the others turned it off and were waiting on us. I caught a glimpse of Rochelle heading our way.

"You got him to carry you?" Rochelle questioned.

"No. A Charger did. Broke my splint," I explained.

Ellis added, "She can't walk and Ah ain't leavin' her."

Rochelle winced, "Ouch. You okay?"

I shrugged her off. "Will be when we get to the safe house."

This _pleasant _conversation was interrupted by Coach's call, "GETCHA ASSES IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"How about _you_ come out_ here_..." I muttered under my breath.

"Let's hurry up before something finds us," Rochelle suggested.

Ellis followed Rochelle the rest of the way to the safe house Coach and Nick were waiting in. It was built into the place where the lines were supposed to start with the metal dividers.

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><p><strong>*Sorry, couldn't help myself, had to reference the video game directly. :D<strong>

**Serene: I. Hate. You.**

**Dawn: ****Well, get over it. The worst is yet to come… *evil laugh***** Oh, and please review. It could be a question for Serene – (dodges knife) – what? I'm sure they'll think of something to ask. Hell. **_**I **_**have questions about you I've yet to dream up answers to yet.**

**Serene: Whatever. Did VALVe learn to count yet?**

**Dawn: I'm not going to answer that for fear of being thrown into the asylum because of something a character I dreamt up wants me to do. As always, reviews are nice! Come on guys, I just want to know how I'm doing! PLEEEAAASE!**


	8. Chapter 8: One Slight Problem

**(Slams face into desk between words) Why. Can't. I. Write. Anything. Longer. Than. Two. Pages. Long?**

**Serene: Because if you did, it would be a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE one-shot. ****Once again, Dawnwish112 does NOT own anyone/anything but me. The rest is all VALVe. Now to see what she's put my through now…**

**Dawn: Shut up. It builds character.**

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><p>A sharp pain in my right leg woke me up. I must have turned onto it in my sleep. Stupid freaking Tank. At least Nick was able to make another, though he wasn't exactly <em>thrilled<em> with having to. _He'll get over it when I save him from something. Damn zombies…_

Rochelle was awake, but just barely. "Get some sleep, Rochelle. I can keep watch for a while," I told her.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Rochelle said groggily. It was only about fifteen minutes into our break, but she would get_ some _sleep, at least. Who can really sleep when there are zombies outside the door?

Apparently... us.

Rochelle collapsed in a heap against the wall, she was out almost instantly. I stood gingerly placing weight on my broken right leg. I steadily put more and more weight on it, but if I put equal weight on both legs, my leg would burn with pain. I took a painkiller to dull it a little. I wanted to scrounge around the safe house for something useful.

In my backpack right now, all I had was my knife, a pistol, a first-aid kit, a nearly empty pill bottle that once held several painkillers, a map, and my personal items. Then something else in there caught my eye. I didn't see it at first, but I saw it in a fold in my backpack's liner, a piece of paper that had been folded a few times was stuck in the very bottom of my backpack. I took it out and unfolded it. It had a few illegible scribbles on it, but the most unusual thing was something very clearly printed on it:

_The military is shooting down any aircraft with Infected or carriers. Beware of pilots offering escape!_

I have no idea how that got there, or who wrote it. I hadn't ever run into any other people, and even if I did, I wouldn't have let them get to my backpack to put anything in it. I'm too paranoid.

I looked on the back of the scrap of paper, where I discovered more writing.

_Just because you aren't a zombie doesn't mean you don't have it on you._

That's scary. I had never thought about it, but it made sense. My clothes were covered in Infected blood, and the warnings made me want to burn them. However, I had nothing else to wear. Now that I was thinking about it, I realized all five of us could be carriers. The Green Flu could very well be coursing through all of us, we were just lucky enough not to be sick.

_What if, when we finally get to New Orleans, the military just kills us to keep us from infecting everyone else?_

I don't know about you, but I tend to worry about life-or-death situations. In fact, I was so lost in my own worried thoughts, I didn't notice Ellis stir himself awake.

"You alright, there, Serene? Ya seem nervous," he asked me when he was fully awake.

I shook my head no. Ellis is my brother, and the only one left I can fully trust with everything, so I explained. "Have you ever wondered why we haven't turned?"

Ellis shrugged, "A lil bit, maybe. Not too much, though."

"Well… just because we haven't turned, that doesn't mean we don't carry the Infection around with us."

I had his attention now, "What are you talkin' about?"

"Carriers, Ellis. I've been bitten and scratched, and their blood has mixed with mine – just like you and the others – yet here we are, still human. But we still have the Green Flu in our bloodstreams. Surely if we ran into some people who _aren't _like us, we'd spread the Infection to them!"

Ellis looked away for a brief moment, but then he met my gaze again, "It makes sense, Ah guess. When did ya figure this out?"

I handed him the paper in silence. As he read both sides, the others woke from slumber.

"Morning, guys," Rochelle greeted as she stretched her arms. "Thanks again, Serene." I didn't answer her as I looked down.

Coach caught on to my emotion. "What's wrong?"

"Serene found this an' now… well…" Ellis handed him the paper. It was soon passed around to the rest of us.

"We can't go to the military. They'd kill us for sure. There has to be another way to escape," I murmured, mostly to myself. "There has to be…"

"Those three in Rayford said they were heading to the Keys. They might have been onto something," Nick agreed solemnly.

"I think I remember Francis saying that they'd had enough of the military," Rochelle added, "Maybe they had the same issue."

"Should we be headin' fer the Keys, too?" Ellis asked.

Silence. No one knew how to answer. Death is inevitable, but it is human nature to put it off for as long as possible. For us, this meant we shouldn't be heading towards New Orleans where CEDA said the military would still be doing evacs, but we shouldn't wait here to die either. The idea of an island was seeming like the best one. From what I've seen, the Infected can't swim. Once we clear off an island, it's cleared off for good. However, we are too far off from the ocean to be heading for an island at the moment.

"Why don't we take this one step at a time," Coach suggested. "Let's find a way outta here first, then we'll figure something out."

"Anyone opposed to that idea? At all?" I asked, "Because I'm not."

No one said anything. Some reservations were surely there, I know it. This meant we would leave our country behind, and any other survivors out there as well.

"If we leave the States, we wouldn't be welcomed back if it goes back to normal," Rochelle murmured.

I was going to say something, but I figured it should be saved for another time. We didn't need the drama of them knowing that I'm supposed to be in prison at the moment. I'll get into that later.

"CEDA screwed us twice in one day. How can we be for sure New Orleans is even still standing?" Nick pointed out.

"Why don't we put it to a vote?" I suggested. "We _are _Americans after all."

We glanced around at one another, expecting someone to say something, but all was quiet. And then there was me.

"It's not that I don't want to stay State-side, but what's left of America is nothing more than Infected individuals who will probably never return to normal. If it means that we can create some sort of sense of normality elsewhere, let's go."

Ellis stood by my side, "And Ah ain't leavin' her. It happened once, an' it ain't never gonna happen again."

I smiled at him. I knew he'd be like that, but I was grateful. In a way, I suppose Ellis had befriended these people and they're now a little family of their own, but _real _family is slightly more important than that.

"Serene, that was the most mature thing I'd ever heard a person your age say," Rochelle said. "And I agree. I seriously doubt things will go back to normal, but it'll be better on an island or something."

"Who knows? We may find other people," Coach added. I admire his optimism, I really do. I'm just trying to be realistic when I say that as people heard more about the Green Flu, they might have spread it all over the world in an effort to escape it. That's what happened in 1348, after all.

Nick sighed, "I'm stuck with you people, aren't I?"

"Better than stuck with the zombies, isn't it?" I countered. Nick rolled his eyes.

At least now we're all on the same page. CEDA and the military equals trouble for carriers like us, so… what now?

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><p><strong>Dawn: I know you all are reading. I do. Could you do me a HUUUUGE favor, readers? There's this little box down there where you type in what you thought of my work. Could you please? It doesn't take two minutes, and it helps me out a lot! It also makes me feel less alone.<strong>

**Serene: Uhhh… last post you said the worst is yet to come… this wasn't that bad.**

**Dawn: Trust me, girlie. I haven't forgotten. Also, I'd like to mention that I orignally had all the way up to Hard Rain planned out (a lot more work than it seems) but then I realized that a LOT of people do that, so now, INSERT PARANOIA OF CEDA! (Kinda Dues Ex Machina, but... whatever. I'll make it work)**


	9. Chapter 9: ROAD TRIP!

**Dawn: Thank you, reviewers! I am so glad to know people read this! SO glad. Like… this is the biggest self-esteem boost I've had in a while!**

**Serene: And that's saying something!**

**Dawn: As always I only own Serene and any other random, minor OCs (such as her boyfriend she killed) that may be mentioned. Now, ON TO THE STORY!**

* * *

><p>With the matter of stay or go decided, where to go was up next and… we have a small, basic idea to look at, but that may not work out.<p>

I pull a map of the United States out of my backpack and unfold it, laying it out so everyone can see. "So… Where are we?" I ask anyone.

Ellis glances at the map and points at a spot in western Georgia, "Here. Man, we made a lotta ground from Savannah to here!"

"We had a car for most of that, Ellis," Rochelle reminded him.

Wait, what? "You had a car? But all the gas stations are empty!"

"Not just a _car. _Jimmy Gibbs Jr.'s stock car!" Ellis cheered. Oh great…

"I am _not_ riding in that thing again!" Nick groaned.

Rochelle agreed, adding, "Yeah. I think I'd prefer a car with… oh you know… working doors and a backseat?" I laughed a little on the inside at that.

"But the only other cars 'round here are stuck in a traffic jam back on the highway. Ain't like we got other options, Ro." Well, Ellis had a point there. Not to mention, we'd have to go _back_ through the coaster, Tunnel of Love, Kiddieland, and the _rest_ of Whispering Oaks to get there.

"I'd like a way out of the amusement park, first. We've been following that chopper around… surely there's other exits and entrances than the one we went through earlier," I pointed out.

"I think there's one outside the safe house," Coach replied, "An' we can get from there to a parkin' lot. Maybe we'll get lucky."

"So get out of this place, get a ride, get the hell out of the country," Nick summarized.

"Sounds about right. If there are any concerns about this plan, speak now of forever hold your peace," I announced to the group. I got a snicker out of Ellis, but no concerns. "Alright. Then let's get the hell out of here!"

ith Coach leading, we left the safe house. There was the stupid test-your-strength game yelling out "MOUSTACHIO" over and over again, which seemed to call more of them, but also no big problem. Things were running _too _smoothly. I knew it already.

My fears were confirmed by a psychotic laugh in the distance. The sound alone sent shivers down my back. It was high pitched, eerie, and my _least_ favorite of the Infected.

A Witch might maul you if you get to close, sure. And, yeah, a Tank will come at you like a freaking _juggernaut_, but at least they don't try to freaking _hump_ you. Ugh… it makes me gag just _thinking_ about it.

"Have I ever mentioned my extreme hatred of those Jockey bastards?" I asked the group.

"Don't you hate all of the Infected?" Rochelle countered.

"Yeah, I just hate Jockeys the most. Gross little perverted spawn of demons…"

There was a drawing of a safe house pointing through the bumper cars. Coach was leading us towards a tall, chain-link gate locked with a huge chain with a heavy-looking lock.

"The parkin' lot's on the other side," Coach said. "Got any ideas?"

_Seriously? They don't know? I got this. _"Hey, Ellis. Can I borrow your shotgun?"

He handed me the gun. This was too easy. I aimed at the lock and fired. The lock was destroyed and the chain was weakened. One more good shot took care of that. I handed back the gun.

"Why didn't I think of that? Good job, Serene!" Rochelle praised me.

"Ehh, I just watch too much TV," I dismissed. "Let's go."

We left the amusement park for the promised parking lot. There were cars everywhere, but the ideal car we needed something large enough to seat us all comfortably and have room for our weapons, something with high MPG so we wouldn't have to stop for gas all the time, and something with four wheel drive in case we find the need to go off road.

"Thank goodness Ellis knows a lot about cars," I muttered.

We wandered the parking lot, looking for our car, when the giggling got louder. I reloaded my M16 to steel my nerves, but it didn't work. It was coming from behind at first, but when I turned around, it seemed to be coming from behind again. This Jockey was smarter than I remember them being.

"Damn Jockey…" I muttered.

Meanwhile, Ellis had found our transportation – a black SUV of some sort. It was big enough for all of us and our supplies, but the doors were locked with the keys inside.

"Ah might be able ta open it, but it'll take a while. And a alarm could go off…" Ellis warned.

"We can deal with alarms, Ellis. Open it," Rochelle ordered.

Ellis took a thin, metal object from the pocket of his coveralls. I think it's called a slim jim, but I could be mistaken. All I know is that you can use them to pick car locks, but you have to be careful not to dig around too much or you'll set off an alarm, like Ellis said.

"Ah never had ta do this on a SUV like this. It might take a lil longer."

"Take your time, Ellis," I said. "I'd like to avoid a fight where I can." _Especially with that Jockey around._

I heard the laughter again, loud enough to be wary. I raised my gun, looking for the twisted creature, but I couldn't see it. It was hiding behind one of the cars.

When it finally showed itself, it was maybe ten feet away. I opened fire on it, but those little buggers are fast. Really fast. I missed more than I should have, and it was barely even hurt when it leaped into the air.

Before I could get out of its way, the Jockey was latched onto my back, obscuring my vision with one hand and scratching me with the other.

I heard gunfire being shot at it, but it was dragging me out of the line of fire. I couldn'r hear anything else but my own screams for help and the Jockey's maniac laughing. Ugh, the _thought_ of that sound still makes me shudder!

Anyway, next thing I know, the Jockey's weight leaves and the laughter stops. I looked around for whoever killed it, but as I turned, I felt just how scratched up my back was. I even felt my own blood run down my back, stinging as it ran over other scratches. When your own blood stings, you need to have someone take a look at how bad you are.

"Damn… That Jockey really tore you up," Rochelle murmured from behind me.

"Yeah. I've been attacked by those freaks before, and it didn't hurt _that _bad. That was almost like a Hunter."

I look at the dead Jockey's hands. His claws are slightly longer than normal. It wasn't anything like a Witch's claws, but maybe a little longer than a Hunter's. Rochelle winced at the sight.

"Get to the car!" I heard Coach call out. Rochelle and I hurried over as fast as we could.

Coach was driving. Nick was riding shotgun. Rochelle was in the second row of seats, behind the driver. Ellis was next to her because, apparently, he drove from Savannah to here and hit every zombie he could on the way. What a surprise that is. I planned to sprawl out in the back row after my back was taken care of.

After I made it inside, Rochelle closed the door behind me and the SUV hummed into life. _It's quiet. That's good. We don't need a Tank coming along and destroying this thing._

With the SUV pulling out of the parking lot, Ellis came to the back row to help with my back. It's not easy doing it yourself, but he hesitated.

"What's the hold-up, Ellis? I'm bleeding here!"

"It's… well… yer gonna need ta take yer shirt off," he stuttered. Yeah, that would be a bit of a problem.

I take my purple-and-black sweater off and the black camisole underneath it, leaving nothing but my bra on (which I was not pleased about showing, considering all the men in this car). The backs of them are so torn up, that I can only imagine how bad my back must be.

I hear Ellis dig into a first-aid kit. He disinfects the scratches, which stung like _hell. _I usually have a relatively high tolerance for pain, but _that _freaking _hurt._

"God damn it!" I swore from the pain.

"Sorry, Serene," Ellis replies, "but you don't need ta get these infected."

I mutter through the pain until I feel Ellis put gauze on the scratches, then he bandages me up.

I slip the cami back on and turn around so I'm seated properly. "Thanks Ellis."

He nods and goes back to his seat by Rochelle then stares out the window. I wonder if he's looking for zombies. _Probably._

I stretch my arms, then start digging through by backpack for more clothes. I knew it would be a good idea to pack some. I take a red pullover sweater and a leather jacket from my backpack.

"Okay, people which way?" I hear Coach ask from the front seats.

I looked around. The intersection didn't have any signs, so we'd just have to pick a road and stick with it, but which one?

Rochelle had a similar thought process, "How do we pick which way?"

"The map I have doesn't show Whispering Oaks, I have no clue… Eenie meanie miney mo…" I started.

"Oh you're hilarious," Nick replied.

"Well do you have any better ideas?" I countered.

There was a pause, then, "Go left."

"Why left?"

"Down right, the road is destroyed, and it's not from construction. Unless you all wanted to try running over a Tank, let's go left."

"Fair point. Let's go."

With a general direction picked, Coach began driving. Long road trips have always made me drowsy. I was asleep within half an hour.

It was a calm sleep. A well needed one, too. This was already more rest than I had gotten since the Infection hit. It would have been perfect if I didn't wake up every time we hit a pothole.

Oh well. We were heading for safety, safety away from the military and CEDA. I savored this piece as long as I could, because there was no way in _hell _it would be this easy the entire way.

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><p><strong>Dawnwish112: No it won't be, Serene. That wouldn't be very entertaining for our readers, would it? Thanks for the reviews! The esteem boost made this chapter come out in record time.<strong>

**Serene: So, if you don't mind, keep it up! Now, does anyone have VALVe's address? I need to play shotgun tag with those people if they don't learn to count to three!**

**Dawn: Good luck with that, girlie. Until next time, happy reading!**


	10. Chapter 10: Pit Stop

Chapter 10: Pit Stop

**Thanks for reviewing! I'd like to give a shout out to Skull and Roses. She's my sister, and she's inspired this. Never before would I think her annoying me would be so helpful.**

"Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall…"

"Don't even start that, Ellis."

"Ninety-nine bottles of beer… Take one down, pass it around. Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall," Ellis continued. He was doing it just to spite me, wasn't he?

"Ellis, sweetie, surely there's something else you could do?" Rochelle asked. Glad to see I wasn't alone here.

There was a slight pause, then… he spoke again.

"Ah ever tell ya 'bout time –"

"Ellis, I was there for most of the idiotic stunts you and Keith pulled," I interrupted him. I could sense the others rolling their eyes.

"Nah, this is different. Keith ain't in this one."

I sighed, realizing I was going to have to listen to this one. "Fine."

"We were in the mall, lookin' for a CEDA evac, when – outta nowhere – there's this Hunter. Now Ah tried ta shoot it, but it ran off before Ah could get it. So we looked around for it, but we couldn't find it. So we just went about our business, y'know. But then later, when we go through tis toy store, it's on the other side of the glass! If we shoot it, a alarm'll go off. The damn Hunter tried ta leap at us through the glass! It shattered the window and called a buncha zombies."

"It was kind of like the carousel, with how many there were!" Rochelle added.

I admit, I normally hate Ellis' stories, but this one wasn't as bad as the ones about some stupid idea he and Keith had.

"So, do you have any stories 'bout fightin' zombies?" Ellis asked me. Sometimes, I swear, he goes from age 23 to age 5.

However, I did have a few that I'd be willing to share if it meant keeping Ellis from torturing us with "99 bottles of beer".

"Before I ran into you guys, I was mostly looting cars in that traffic jam for supplies. I'd stay in one and lock it when I needed to rest. Well, I was looking for some food, and I see this black sedan. It's unlocked, so I take a look inside. Next thing I know, I hear this muffled crying in the trunk. So, I take what I've gathered and do my best to sneak away. Well, my arm hit the "open trunk" button…"

"Did the Witch getcha?" Ellis asked.

"I'm getting there!" I replied, "So when the trunk opens, the crying gets louder and she starts growling. I'm thinking 'Ah, crap I'm gonna die!' and start my prayers. Well, as it turns out, she wasn't growling at me. Some stupid zombie was standing to close to her and she freaked."

"They kill other zombies?"

"At least Witches do. When it was dead, the Witch was just standing there, then she ran off. I didn't even fire a shot at her."

"Ah wonder why she didn't go after you… Every Witch we found always knocks one of us down if we can't kill 'er in time…" Ellis pondered.

I shrugged, "I don't really care why, I'm just grateful she didn't kill me, even though I was standing maybe ten feet away."

With the story done, Ellis was quiet for a while, thankfully. I stared out the window, doing my best not to think and to simply enjoy the peace while I had it.

I soon see a sign that reads, "Tennessee welcomes you". Next to it were signs put up by CEDA, but we were going too fast for me to catch what they said.

"Uhh… guys? Weren't we going to the Keys?" I asked.

"Yeah. It was your idea, remember?" Nick countered. I ignored that last part.

"We're in Tennessee."

"What?" Rochelle exclaimed, clearly only now paying attention. "Coach!"

"Hey! Nick said ta turn left!" Coach defended himself. _What did I just stir up? Oh well. Better they find out now than when we hit Nashville or something._

"Me? Since when do listen to me?"

"Guys!" I interrupted, "There is no use arguing over this. We'll figure something else out. Right now, though, we just need to make a new plan."

"Serene's right. Ain't no way we'll make it to the Keys if we're bickerin' like this," Ellis added. What did I say? Five one minute, twenty-three the next.

Coach turned off the car, so we wouldn't waste gas. "Okay… We can still turn around an' go to the Keys. There's other islands, too. Might be one closer than that. You still got that map?"

I reached into my backpack and pull out the map of the US. The closest island I can see on the map is in the Bahamas.

"Looks like we've got some drivin' to do."

"Hang on a minute." Something was off.

"Do you have an idea?" Rochelle asked hopefully.

"No… something's not right here."

Everyone was looking around now, trying to figure out what could be so off… The realization hit me first though.

"Where are all the zombies?"

"I guess they don't wander far from where they live unless they know a human's around," Nick suggested. It made sense I guess.

"Where is the closest city?" Rochelle asked.

I checked the map again. It only displayed the larger cities, unfortunately. "Chattanooga isn't far. I think I see the welcome sign up ahead. Think we can stop for a supply run, Coach? I'm getting hungry and there's no more food."

"Sounds good to me."

With that, we all climbed out of the SUV and took our weapons from the back. Was I nuts about stopping? No. Was I hungry enough to get over it? Yes. Maybe we'd get lucky and find a gas station to raid.

We walked off the highway and headed for the nearest building in sight. Bringing up food had only made me realize how hungry I was. I almost wished I had a belt to keep my stomach from growling.

Nick was right about the zombies though. Before long, a saw a lone zombie running at us from beside the highway in a community service vest. One headshot with my pistol kept it from getting too close. _Like it would be a threat anyway._

There was a building in the distance, but I couldn't tell if it was a gas station or not. We were heading for it, regardless. We all were getting hungry, and at this point, I'd be willing to eat a can of cranberry sauce, which I have never really liked.

"At least there aren't many zombies, yet," Rochelle added. I admire her optimism. I wish I weren't such a glass-half-empty kind of girl, but if wishes were gold…

The more we walked, the hungrier I got. At least it wasn't as far now. The gas station was maybe a hundred yards away. Not bad, considering it was a blurry structure in the distance when we started.

The building was definitely a gas station. Its sign read "CEDA EVACUATION CENTER IN NASHVILLE", but there were places on the building where people had written as well. I trusted those, the people surviving out here, over the crap CEDA says. _Especially_ if they my brother and new friends on a burning hotel in Savannah.

When we got close enough that I could read the survivors' writings, they had similar opinions about the government.

"CEDA is killing humans!"

"They killed my husband for killing the zombies!"

And, my personal favorite:

"CEDA abandoned me here and took my children from me. I hope they burn in hell!"

"The more Ah know, the happier Ah am we're leavin' the country…" That has got to be one of the most mature things I've heard Ellis say. Ellis is _not_ dumb, he just chooses to be immature at sometimes. At other times it comes naturally. It's weird when he's the mature one, sometimes. It's so… unexpected.

"Guys! Door's open! Did you want something to eat or not?" I hear Nick call from the other side of the building.

That made me run (well… something close to run with one leg in a splint) inside as quick as I could. My stomach wouldn't stop growling at me.

Then I realized it wasn't my stomach.

"Shhh! What is that?" I whispered.

Everyone became drop-dead quiet and dropped their food in favor of their weapons. I heard the growls clearer now. It was definitely a Hunter. There's just no mistaking its screams and growls.

I heard its claws tapping against the tile floor. I kept looking over my shoulder, checking for it, but it didn't show. _What is it waiting on?_

I walked a few steps forward, now standing maybe a few feet from Rochelle. Knowing Hunters tend to pick on people who are further away from the group, this might be a better idea.

I heard the Hunter scream from the other side of the gas station. Rochelle and I faced that way, but almost right away it came from behind us.

"The bastard's playing with us…" I cursed.

"No kidding."

Rochelle and I stood back-to-back, looking for the Hunter while protecting each other. I saw the hooded zombie first, and started to open fire, but it leaped for me. Not a single one hit it, and now I was being torn up!

I used my arms to block most of the attacks while calling for help, but the Hunter still managed to land a lot of blows and even bit me once. The pain was intense, but Rochelle put a bullet in the Hunter's skull before too much damage was done.

She offered a hand to help me up, which I accepted. "You okay, Serene?" Rochelle asked.

"Yeah I'm fine."

Nick, Coach, and Ellis had just come to our aisle. "And where were you?"

"Sorry, Ro. There was a Charger out there. The damn thing nearly took Coach all the way back to the SUV." Ellis apologized. He noticed a gash across my cheek from where the Hunter got me. "You okay?"

"I will be when I eat something. I'm _starving _here!"

With the Hunter and Charger dealt with, we took our raid of the gas station. We took all the candy, potato chips, and other packaged foods we could. Is it healthy? No. Is it better than eating the molding hotdogs? Hell yes.

"Alright, let's get back and get a plan figured out," Nick said.

Before I'm out the door, I see something taped to the wall. It's a note from one survivor to another apparently.

_Dear Mattie,_

_Don't listen to CEDA or the military. Those bastards are killing uninfected people. If you're still out there, I hear there's a safe-zone run by carriers just north of Evansville, Indiana. Since you're my sister, and I'm a carrier, that means you are too. They claim to have warm food, electricity, and a barrier built that the zombies are having a hell of a time getting through. I'll leave notes along the way._

_Also, DON'T GO THROUGH NASHVILLE TO GET HERE! The city is nothing but zombies and traffic is backed up EVERYWHERE._

_Love,_

_-Lex_

"Guys!" I called out, "I have an idea!"

"What is it?" Coach asked.

"According to this –" I gestured with my head towards the note, since my hands were full, "– There's a safe-zone run by carriers in Indiana."

"Indiana?" Nick questions with a clearly displeased tone. I get it. Hardly anyone likes Indiana accept _maybe _the people who live there.

"I know, corn and soybeans, but apparently they have warm food, electricity and whatnot. And, it isn't run by CEDA."

Rochelle sided with me, "It's not like we have another option, Nick. We are _not _going to CEDA or the military, and there aren't any islands close enough for us to drive there."

"Even if we did, wouldn't we run outta food eventually?" Coach added.

"An' we'd have ta find a boat, an' that ain't as easy as it sounds."

"Alright, then let's go."

The walk back to the van was not _nearly _as long as the walk to the gas station. Probably because I wasn't thinking about how hungry I was and eating a Snickers bar. Mmmm… Snickers…

Anyway, we loaded what food we weren't eating and got in the black SUV. Nick was driving, Coach was riding shotgun, Ellis and Rochelle were behind them and I got the back row to myself, thanks to my broken leg. The only true perk of that thing, really.

Barely after that, Ellis spoke up, "Hey Serene?"

"Yeah?"

"Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall…"

I smacked the back of his head.

"Ninety-eight bottles of beer…"

I rammed my head in to the window, hoping to knock myself out so I wouldn't have to listen. God, I hate road trips!

**Ta-da! Another chapter. Poor Serene. Ellis just loves to sing!**

**Serene: Shut. Up. Why did you make him so annoying?**

**Dawn: Zombie apocalypse or not, siblings will always annoy the crap out of each other if stuck together too long. And you and Ellis are stuck with each other for a LOOOONG time… Hehehe… Anyway! Thanks for the reviews! Nice to feel so loved on here, even though this is my first fanfiction. I did my best to write this as fast as I could, but I was checking and re-checking more than you'd believe. I'm trying, I really am. Just lemme know how I'm doing!**


	11. Chapter 11: Sanity is a Weak Thing

**Sorry for the wait. It's been hectic and is only going to get worse. I have band camp next two weeks and then school starts again. Freshmen year, woo! Anyway, here's your chapter 11. Thanks for all the views, but I need reviews, too! Now… Serene! Disclaimer!**

**Serene: Dawnwish112 doesn't own Left 4 Dead 2 or VALVe; just me and any other minor OCs that may pop up seemingly at random.**

**Great. TO THE BATMOBILE! Err... TO THE STORY!**

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><p>Three hours, a threat from Nick to Ellis warning that if he didn't stop singing he'd tie him to the luggage rack, and I don't know how many miles later, we come to this huge traffic jam that spread from here to as far as I could see. If that note about Nashville is right, we must have been getting close.<p>

"Well, that lasted longer than I thought," I said as we came to a stop. "Any ideas?"

"Can't we just follow the highway?" Rochelle asked.

"Maybe. From what the letter said, Nashville's overrun with zombies," I replied.

"Didn't that sign back there say CEDA's here?" Ellis asked.

I was going to respond, but Nick did before I could, "They also said they'd be at the hotel, in the mall, and at Whispering Oaks." More or less what I was going to say. CEDA's not good about keeping their promises.

I heard Coach sigh. "These cars ain't gonna move, and we still got miles 'til Nashville to think of somethin'. Let's just get a move on."

With no objections to that, we left the SUV behind. We stuffed as much of the food as we could into my backpack. With the extra set of clothing out of there, there was much more room for it.

My first thought was to just go off-road, but I realized that we were on top of a cloverleaf. Damn things. We were maybe two stories up, and I doubt we'd survive that fall. Screw that. If I'm going to die in a zombie apocalypse, it will be by zombies, not by car wreck.

Anyway, we started weaving our way through the traffic jam. There were cars as far as the eye could see, but not many zombies. The ones I _did _see were locked in their own cars, mindlessly beating against the windows trying to break out. I almost felt bad for them, knowing these people _turned _waiting on salvation.

But if they weren't smart enough to leave, then whose fault is that?

We walked maybe a block or two in silence. Why? Because none of us had anything to say, and if Nick was right about the zombies, they wouldn't be attracted to us if we made less noise. Keeping that in mind, I strapped my M16 to my back and took my katana. It was low on ammunition anyway.

"Hey, if anyone sees some ammo, lemme know. I'm running out," I said, _just_ loud enough to be heard by everyone, but still quiet.

I hated this. We shouldn't have to sneak around. It's not like the zombies were going to figure out a way out of the cars, or a Witch was near. I _hate _quiet. It's nerve-racking!

**Guilty conscious?**

"Did you hear that?" I whispered to Ellis.

"Hear what?"

"A voice."

"Nah… Ah don't hear anythin' really…" he replied, "It's kinda weird…"

"Yeah…"

**Just admit it Serene. You and I both know what you've done. It's only making it harder on you.**

"There it is again…" I murmured. This was getting old, fast.

"You're hearing things," Nick dismissed. "Probably just exhausted, like the rest of us."

"I guess so…" That had to be it. I was just tired, sore, hungry and not used to life like this. My mind was just playing tricks on me. That's all. When we get to the place in Indiana I'd be fine.

As for what I did? It's a long story, but here's the fast version.

Back in Savannah, before I moved, I… I killed a person. It wasn't entirely my fault! He came at me with a knife, and I had mine on me at the time. I didn't do time, but for my own sanity I moved to Detroit. Well, that didn't help much. The guilt kept eating away at me like a starved rat! I said it earlier and I'll say it again; I can kill zombies, not people.

I heard this whispering in the back of my head. Some were clearer than others, but I didn't get most of them. Was I going insane? _Not a good time for that, sanity! Get back here right this instant!_

Okay, I know that seems insane, but I needed the comic relief. Deal with it.

I couldn't be going crazy. Insane people don't realize they're insane… But… I think I just created a paradox. _Ugh, my head hurts!_

**Stop thinking, idiot, and pay attention. A Charger just growled nearby. Get your gun.**

Bossy voice in my head, isn't it? I obeyed it anyway, but only because it was the better idea. I heard the Infected grunt again, followed by this call and…

**STEP BACK, NOW!**

I obeyed instantly and a moment later, the one-armed beast barely missed me and ended up falling off the cloverleaf. Maybe this voice in my head was better for me than I thought.

"Nice dodge, Serene," Rochelle commented.

I smiled softly. I wasn't sure about this… but maybe this could be a good thing for now. I just wish I knew more about it.

**You will, later. Think about a plan for getting to Indiana, first.**

Right… So… Nashville may or may not have CEDA, so avoiding that would be nice. So would a method of faster transportation and a way to just get through Tennessee already, but there was still all of this _and _Kentucky to go. And I'd be willing to bet that the bridges over the Ohio River into Indiana are out, so we'd need away across.

"What's that, up ahead?" I heard Ellis ask, bringing me back to reality.

My attention shifted forward. There was black smoke rising upward in the distance.

"Unless someone's burning tires, there must have been a crash," I replied.

"Either way, it might be worth checkin' out," Coach added. He had a point. We could find other people (doubtful) or supplies (less doubtful). And it would take my mind off of worrying about the possibility of my sanity weakening.

The others climbed over an overturned semi. Nick and Coach kept on, but Ellis was waiting on me.

"Uhh… you comin' Serene?" he asked.

"I can't get over this thing with a _broken leg, _smart one," I pointed out. Thick today, isn't he?

"Ohhh… Sorry…" He held out a hand for me and pulled me up. He must be stronger than he looks if he can lift my weight with one arm…

**Like you weigh all that much to begin with? I bet since the Green Flu outbreak you weigh less than a hundred pounds**_. Shut up, stupid voice._

I noticed that there weren't any cars on this side of the semi. I guess that's what caused the traffic jam. What I _did _see was a tan helicopter that looked eerily familiar.

"Where have I seen that before?" I asked myself more than anyone else as I jumped off the semi (being extra careful to land with more weight on my left leg than my right.)

Nick huffed. "It's the same one we were looking for in Whispering Oaks."

"But why is it here? Shouldn't it be somewhere on the way to New Orleans?" Rochelle asked.

It was quiet the mystery, but we didn't have time for it right now. "Hard telling. Either way, I'd like to get a move on before it gets dark. I'd like to avoid sleeping in cars if at all possible."

"Amen to that…" Coach said.

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><p>After <em>hours<em> of walking, we saw the "Welcome to Nashville" sign. Except the sign was spray painted to say, "Welcome to Hell". Yeah, that just about summed up what it looked like.

I haven't been to Nashville before, but I guarantee that every building in the city wasn't supposed to be on fire before the zombies. What buildings weren't on fire were dark against the glow of the flames, adding to the spooky scene. The stars were blocked by the smoke and the air looked hard to breathe. "Hell" just about sums it up.

I sighed, "You know, I used to love fire. Campfires, bonfires, fireworks. Hell, even now whenever there's a Molotov thrown love it. But this…"

"Reminds me of the hotel…" Rochelle murmured.

"What happened there?" I asked. I know someone had told me before, but I couldn't remember more than CEDA leaving them there.

"CEDA was evacuating people from the top of the Vannah hotel. Well, we were the last ones there, but they left us," Rochelle said. Ohhhh… right, right… How did I forget that?

"They left us on top of a _burning, zombie-infested, eight-story building._" Nick corrected.

"That's where we met," Ellis added. A thought came to him, judging by the look on his face. He turned to Nick. "Didn't you say that you weren't gonna stay with us?" Now that sounds like about right. He doesn't seem to be the type to just buddy up to everyone.

"There was a change of plans," Nick brushed off. _Uh-huh. Sure. _That's_ what happened. Totally believe you, Nick._ The same look was on Rochelle's face.

More like what happened was that, whether he liked it or not, he came to consider the others his friends. I'd sooner believe that than he's just sticking with us for safety when he could be on his own heading for New Orleans. What can I say? Saving each other's life over and over again tends to bond people together.

"So… plan?" I asked.

Coach responded with, "Find a safe house or a car we can get into ta rest in."

"Like there?" Ellis asked. He was pointing to a house with boarded up windows and a red steel door.

"How did we miss that?" I asked.

"We're tired. And if we've got to _walk _all the way to some place in Indiana, we should rest all we can," Nick said as he started off for the safe house. The rest of us weren't too far behind him.

**Complains a lot, doesn't he? Tell him walking's good for him. **_I'm gonna go with "no", voice. You want me to piss him off? _**Oh, it'd be funny! **_Shut up, voice!_

Seriously, this thing is annoying! If there are any people out there who know how to get annoying voices in your head to shut up, please share. Any idea is better than no idea!

Rochelle went to open the safe house door, but it was locked. She looked at the rest of us, confused, but knocked regardless.

"Hello? Wh-who's out there?" I heard a woman's voice ask.

"Five survivors in need of a place to stay," Rochelle said. "Can we come in?"

"Why should I?" she countered.

"We're hurt, hungry, tired, and we've gotta long way ta go. Please ma'am, just let us in," Coach responded.

"I'm elderly!" the woman cried, "I am not dying out in this! I wanted to die in peace! Not in the apocalypse…"

"We won't let any zombies in, ma'am. We just wanna rest up."

"That's what the last people said, and I found my son's dead body after they left!" _Oh, shit. She isn't gonna let us in._

"Listen, lady, we've been fighting zombies from here to Georgia. I've got a broken leg and my brother may have some brain damage –"

"Hey!"

" – so _please_ let us in!" I begged in my most innocent voice. _Maybe a guilt trip will make her let us in._

"No! I –" her voice was interrupted by a painful sounding cough, one that sounded really familiar. "I-I can't let you in… Not gonna die… CEDA promised me…" **CEDA promised her something? Don't hold your breath, lady. **_Not helping! Where have I heard that before? _**How could you possibly forget? Christopher was coughing like that before he turned.**

Oh, shit…

"Guys," I whispered, "She's turning…"

"How do you know?" Nick demanded in a low tone.

"My fiancé was coughing like that before he turned into a Hunter." I subconsciously twirled the ring on my finger.

"So, what? We just gonna wait for her ta turn? How long could _that _take?" Ellis asked.

Rochelle responded, "Anywhere from four days to five minutes." That's right… she's worked for the news.

"It's just a matter of time now," Coach said sadly.

The persistent hacking got worse and worse the longer in went on. It was pained, clearly, but then, amidst the hacks, I heard her spit something out. Then it was all quiet.

"Did she…" I trailed off, hoping someone got the message.

"Ellis, go try to open the door. Be ready ta shoot if it ain't human," Coach instructed.

Though it was locked before, the woman must have unlocked it in the commotion, because Ellis was able to open the door quickly, revealing the old woman. Only she was a Spitter.

It was hard to tell who shot first, but the Spitter was killed within seconds, leaving the puddle of acid all Spitters leave when killed. However it was a more corrosive acid than most. It doesn't usually start dissolving the concrete before disappearing like it does.

**The Infected are getting stronger, Serene. You will need to, as well. **_That is the most helpful bit of information you've given me thus far, voice._

Still, it bugged me I could hear a voice in my head besides my own. Hopefully a good night's rest and a chance to eat would help.

"Hate ta break it to ya, Serene, but Ah think yer on watch first, tonight," Ellis muttered as he settled down.

_Damn it. _**You've never been on watch since you met them and you're complaining? **_Shut up, voice._

Regardless, I took a Snickers bar from my backpack. It may not be much, but it's the most filling of all the food we had.

With a yawn, Ellis said, "Wake me up 'round three o' clock, okay, Serene?"

"Yeah." I glanced at the clock. Midnight.

**Three hours stuck with you? Great. **_Like you're one to complain? You're the one in _my_ head! _**I know, I have to listen to **_**every single thought you have. **_**What did I do to deserve that?**

Damn voice.

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><p><strong><em>Serene:<em> Great. Now I'm hearing voices that aren't really there. Damn you, author!**

**Watch it! I can make your life HELL if you keep it up.**

**_Serene:_ How? I live in an apocalypse!**

**Ellis may find the need to annoy you. Nick could find the need to flirt. Take your pick.**

**_Serene_: What was that last thing you said?**

**You heard me.**

**(Serene blushes)**

**As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. Hell, just LOL would be nice. I can't read minds, people! How am I doing? **

**And may the odds be ever in your favor! (Dodges tomato)**


	12. Chapter 12: A Friend in Need

Chapter 12: A Friend in Need

**Ellis: Wow! Dawn's already on Chapter 12? Nice…**

**_Serene: _****And yet she only has 20 reviews.**

**Shut up. It's better than what I ****_had._**

**_Serene: Still._**

***Sigh* I only own Serene, other OCs, and the plot. If you think otherwise, I'll find a Witch for you to buddy up to.**

**Ellis: An' Serene thinks ****_Ah'm _****violent.**

**Shut up and roll the story.**

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><p><strong>Serene. Serene wake up.<strong>

I groaned at the sound of the voice in my head. I know it sounds just like mine from when I was younger, but I don't exactly find pleasure in waking up to it. _What do you want, damn voice._

**Good morning to you, too. There's something in the safe room you need to see.**

When the voice in your head wakes you up to see something, I figure it's pretty important. I opened my eyes and stretched, being careful not to hit Ellis.

_Wait… Ellis? Shouldn't he be on guard?_

**Not important at the moment. There's a key to your escape in here.**

_Yeah, I guess that's a little more important._

I tiptoed my way around, careful not to wake anyone. Especially Nick. He's such a light sleeper, I wonder if he just closes his eyes.

**Look on the top shelf.**

I obeyed the voice. I saw a small, sleek, black laptop. It was maybe ten inches by six inches and had silver accents.

_Did you want me to check my Facebook or something?_

**The internet is still working. See that modem over there? You can use it to find the shortest route between here and Evansville.**

_Well, well. You _are_ helpful._

I opened the laptop and let it wake up. It opened up to the desktop with red and gray wallpaper with "Bosse" written in darker gray with a bulldog head. I guess Bosse was a school…

Anyway, I clicked the Google Earth icon. I clicked "Get Directions" and typed in Nashville, TN and Evansville, IN. I clicked the icon of a little walking man, to say that we were going about this on foot. Before long, I had the directions before me.

_Head southeast on 6__th__ Ave N toward Charlotte Ave…_

I quickly pulled a piece of paper and pencil from my backpack and scribbled down the directions. After double checking them all, I closed Google Earth. Right before I shut the laptop, though. I noticed that Microsoft Word had been pulled up. Curious as I am, I decided to look at what had been written.

The sudden flash of white stung my eyes a little, but the black letters wrote:

_Dear Mattie,_

_If you have gotten this far, I want to let you know that you're on the right track. I know it's been a while since we both were there, but meet me at Bosse High School. If my friends haven't turned, they'll be there too. And yes, Miss Future Vet, I still have the dog._

_Oh, and in the last letter I left you, I told you to go to the place north of Evansville. Well, don't. As it turns out, CEDA _was _behind that one. Wonderful, isn't it? I promise you I'm okay, and I hope you are too._

_Love you, sister,_

_Lex_

A few lines down, there more words.

_Lex,_

_I know you have no way of reading this, but it makes me feel better to write back to you._

_I am okay. I'm glad to know you are too. I do remember Bosse. How could I forget? It doesn't look like it belongs in Indiana, let alone Evansville. I think someone even said that it looks like it belongs in England. I wouldn't go _that _far, but it is pretty beautiful for a school._

_Thanks for keeping my dog for me. You didn't have to, but I'm glad you did. Is she attacking the zombies with you? That I have to see._

_Love you, sister,_

_Mattie_

From the sound of things, these women are as tough as we are. They seem to be in the same condition, too. Maybe we could join them at this high school of theirs if they're still alive. The dog may pose a problem though. I've always been more of a cat person. However, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I closed the laptop and put it back in its place. If we weren't the only survivors, they might follow the message as well.

**Have you considered that these people, Mattie and Lex, may not want to be around other people? It could very well be that they don't want us around.**

I was about to reply to the voice when I heard a loud explosion. The others were wide awake and on their feet in an instant.

"What the hell was that?" Nick exclaimed.

"Sounded like a pipe bomb goin' off," Ellis offered.

Rochelle's eyes grew wide with realization, "People! But are they with CEDA or not?"

I scoffed at her question, "Are they _immune_ or not?"

"We ain't gonna find out standin' here," Coach said. "Let's go find out."

With that, we took our weapons and bolted out the door in the direction of the explosion. Normally, this is a stupid idea, but in this case, it wasn't. I could feel it in my gut that this was going to be worth the run outside.

"There!" Ellis pointed. There was a young woman, maybe a bit younger than me, slicing zombies apart with an axe. Her brunette hair was messy and matted with blood. Her blue eyes were fierce, but weary. She was fiery, but she was hurt and wasn't going to last long with that many bleeding scratches.

"Well?! Don't just stand there gawking at me! Help!" The woman ordered.

After a split-second decision, we were firing at the zombies. I ran to the woman's side and began helping her fend of the zombies with my katana.

"You wouldn't be heading to New Orleans by any chance, would you?" the woman asked as she beheaded multiple zombies with a good swing.

"No. Got a tip that CEDA isn't as helpful as they promised," I replied as I tore the arm off an Infected woman.

"Good," the woman huffed.

One pipe bomb later, the remaining zombies were obliterated and dark blood rained down on where they stood.

"Well fought," I praised the woman. "My name is Serene. Over there's my group. Ellis, Nick, Coach and Rochelle. Who are you?"

She sighed, "My name is Madison, but you can call me Mattie. Everyone else does."

"Mattie… Would you have a sister named Lex?" Madison is a common name… I just wanted to double check.

"Her real name is Alexis."

"We've been following her advice to head for Indiana," I said. I noticed that Mattie was breathing hard and she was blinking a lot, almost like she was trying to focus. "Are you okay?"

"I… I can't see anything…" she said. She would have hit the floor if I hadn't caught her.

Ellis was by my side momentarily. "Is she alright?"

"She will be. Let's get her back to a safe house," I ordered. Ellis picked her up and carried her bridal style. I keep forgetting how strong he is.

"Who's she?" I heard Rochelle ask from behind me.

"Mattie. Remember the letter I found back at that gas station? Her sister wrote it to her, telling her to go to Indiana. Which reminds me, I found directions to Evansville through Nashville. It'll make travel easier."

"Does that mean we don't gotta listen ta Nick's directions?" Ellis asked. I could hear in his voice that he was trying to make fun of Nick for sending us the wrong way.

"Can it, Hayseed."

_Ugh. At least now there's going to be easier travel once we get to Indiana. By the sound of things, Mattie and Alexis were natives to Indiana._

After the quick blitz of zombies, everything was quiet once again. Too quiet. I felt like something should be happening right now, but it's so peaceful. Funny isn't it. When you get a moment to catch your breath in the zombie apocalypse, you start complaining about how quiet it gets.

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><p><strong><span>(Mattie POV)<span>**

I felt myself being carried, but I couldn't open my eyes. After what felt like seconds, I was set down and someone was pulling my clothes off. Remembering meeting Serene and her group, I guess someone was doctoring my wounds.

Whoever it was, they were gentle as they wrapped bandages around my arm, leg and torso. The gentleness was almost unfamiliar to me. Since this began I was on my own. It was pure luck I found my sister's note at the gas station. I find it hard to believe I'm alive…

Whoever was mending my wounds left. Someone then brought me a blanket and pillow. These people seemed kind. _Hopefully they're immune, too._

I knew I was immune the moment I found out about the Infection. I with my friend when she turned and she bit me. Naturally, I figured I was doomed and locked myself in my house. When I got the call from my sister, the pharmacology student, saying that bites don't guarantee change, I high-tailed it to her place. If anyone could help me, it was her.

Thing is, I noticed CEDA telling people that it was just a slight mutation of the flu that somehow mixed with rabies. Nonetheless, they told me that, since I had been exposed, that I had to go with them to a secret lab. Long story short, they turned when they mishandled my blood and I killed them. That's when I found the first note from my sister.

My sister… Serene reminded me of her when I first saw her. Both she and my sister have this air about them. Determination, strong-will, and… somehow still distracted.

For my sister, the distraction always came from her pessimistic attitude, perfectionism, and need to please everyone when she knows she can't. I can't quite put my finger on where Serene's distraction came from.

"Mattie? Can you hear me?" I heard a voice ask me. It was a woman's. Serene maybe? I wanted to tell her I could, but I couldn't form the words.

"Well… stay with us okay? I'm sure your sister wants to see you alive."

Oh, believe me. She _will _see me alive. I am not going to die now with a bunch of strangers near.

_I'm coming, Alexis. Stay safe for me._

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><p><strong><span>(Serene's POV)<span>**

There's something to be said about the people of Nashville. They were at least smart enough to turn a Walgreens into a safe house. There were medical supplies everywhere, as if it were untouched.

The best part? It had a map with all the safe houses in Nashville. Not only could we use this to stay safe, but to find the right roads. Thank you, Nashville!

Anyway, I had bandaged what I could of Mattie's wounds. Some of them, like the one about an inch under her eye, I didn't want to mess with while she was out.

We had gotten here real quickly compared the distances between safe houses in Whispering Oaks. You had to go through a motel and to the amusement park just to find the first. In the scheme of things, I realize you can't put a safe house in just _any _building. But still…

"When do ya think she'll wake up?" Ellis asked.

Before I could reply, Mattie groaned from her room.

"Now," I said as I stood up to check on her.

As I walked over, the voice spoke to me.

**Do I need to tell you to be careful? Humans are the most diverse of all creatures. They all think differently. While you and your buddies agree on safety in numbers, some people might not.**

…

Okay, chalk up one for the voice. It had a point there. I can think of some people ***cough-Nick-cough*** who definitely wanted to be alone most of the time. But things are different now. We have to rely on what we know and what we have. What I know is that you can't safe yourself from a Charger or Hunter. What I have is a team of people who also know that.

Philosophical time is over now.

"Hey, Mattie. How're you feeling?" I asked her.

She groaned again. "Like crap," her voice was gravely. I handed her a bottle of water from my backpack, which she took. "Was you who patched me up?"

"Yeah. I figured you'd prefer a girl to fix you up over a strange man. And Rochelle's out of her comfort zone when dealing with things like this."

"Thanks. I owe you so much…"

"Don't worry about it."

There was a pause before Mattie spoke again. "Do you think my sister is still alive?"

"I… I don't know. If she's anything like you, she is."

"Heh. Me? I almost _died_ today. It's only because of you five I'm here. Lex would probably kill every one of the zombies and then brush it off like it was nothing. She's like that. Heh. She always told me I needed to get a better tolerance for pain and learn how to shoot."

I smiled softly. "Sounds like she cares for you."

"She does… I feel bad though."

"Why?"

"She told me to stay as far away from CEDA as I could. She said they couldn't be trusted. But when they offered me safety... I believed them anyway."

"My brother and his friends got screwed by CEDA, too. They were told to get to the top of a burning building to be evacuated. Well… CEDA pretty much said, 'Screw you' and left them. But if they hadn't I wouldn't have seen my brother again."

"Which one's your brother?"

"Ellis. The one with the 'Bullshifters' shirt."

"Oh," she smiled a little, "I thought the guy in the suit was."

I felt my eyes go wide, but I kept my voice low, "You thought _Nick _was my brother?"

"Well, you can't blame me. You both have green eyes, black hair and pale skin," Mattie defended herself.

I smirked, "Contacts, hair dye, and little sun exposure." I explained. "I'd take the contacts out, but I don't want to risk getting the flu in my eye. I'd like to stay as little Infected as I can."

"I heard Ellis talking earlier. He had a bit of an accent, didn't he? How come you don't?" Curious one, isn't she? Oh well. I felt I could trust her.

"He was born in Georgia and stayed there. I was born there, but I had to move to Michigan. Detroit, to be exact."

Mattie giggled a little, "If my sister were here, she'd ask how much you knew about Kid Rock."

"I love that guy's music. I wonder what happened to him…"

"Way I heard it? He left the country."

"Figures. I bet he's got his own little island somewhere."

We spent maybe half an hour talking about things like that. I don't know why I couldn't talk to Rochelle this way. I miss chatting with girls.

Oh well… I suppose when we get to Indiana we'll have _plenty_ of time to chat.

Mattie and I were about to talk about our favorite music when Nick came to the door.

"If you two are finished gossiping, we need to get a move on before we wear out. Unless you wanted to get to Indiana a year from now."

"Shut up, Nick. You and I both know Indiana isn't that far from here. It's about a three days walk if you really want to get going."

"If you want to walk, that's fine. Ellis hotwired another SUV, though."

"SUV please," Mattie chimed in.

"I'm driving!" I called.

"Like hell you are!" Ellis called from further away. He was standing outside, near a dark blue SUV.

"Oh, HELL NO! You are not driving after what you did last time!" Coach exclaimed.

Mattie asked it first, but I was thinking it, "What did he do?"

"He tried to jump a bridge!"

"You idiot! Keith lost a car and damn-near drowned doing that!" I snapped at Ellis.

"Keith tried ta jump a _car. Ah_ was gonna jump _Jimmy Gibbs, Junior's stock car! _There's a difference, Serene!"

"Oh for crying out loud… I'll drive if it'll get you two to shut up!" Nick complained.

"Are you all always like this?" Mattie whispered to me.

"More or less. Usually less."

She nodded. "I'll settle this the way me and my sister used to settle things. Pick a number between one and ten."

"Five."

"Six."

"Four."

Coach and Rochelle weren't playing this game. Nick, gambler that he is, probably thought he'd guess the number right away. I was in this just so Ellis wouldn't drive.

"My number was three. Serene drives."

"Can Ah ride shotgun?" Ellis asked.

"No. Do you remember the last time you rode shotgun with me driving?" I asked him.

The memory hit him and he got real quiet. What happened was that I almost went to jail. That's all you need to know, reader.

So, I was driving, Nick was riding shotgun (I handed him the paper with all the directions I found on it), Coach was behind me, Rochelle next to him, and Ellis and Mattie were in the furthest back.

"Hey, is there any music? Like a CD or something?" Mattie asked. I knew enough about her to know she likes music.

Nick pushed the eject button on the CD player, revealing a disc with nothing on it. Maybe someone put a random selection of songs on it? Only one way to find out…

I hit play and made sure the music was turned down. What played was a violin excerpt, but that alone was enough for me to name the song. I could see Nick rolling his eyes. Not a country fan I guess.

"Man, I ain't heard this song in a _long _time!" Ellis called from the back seat.

"I set it as my ringtone for whenever you called, you know," I told him.

"What _is_ this?" Rochelle asked.

"It's 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' by The Charlie Daniels Band. It's an old song… but I love it," Mattie answered.

_The devil went down to Georgia; he was lookin' for a soul to steal…_

Nick muttered under his breath, but I caught what he said. "It's gonna be a long ride to Indiana…"

**If you haven't heard this song, you need to look it up. Seriously. **

**Serene: Before you do that, a little box is calling your attention! We aren't Jedi! We can't make you tell us what you think! Now, ****_author, _****why is it I'm slowly snapping?**

**Err… (Waves hand like a Jedi) This is not the author you're looking for... (Realize the Force is not strong with me) See you next time! I gotta run before Serene plays shotgun tag with me.**


	13. Chapter 13: Memories and Mortality

**Well, well. Unlucky 13? I don't see what's so bad about the number. Shouldn't it be 666 everyone's worried about? Ah well. Why won't Serene talk to me?**

**Nick: Something about this chapter. I don't know. She seems fine. For now.**

**Oh, she'll get over it. Could you do the disclaimer please?**

**Nick: The author doesn't own us. Just Serene, that Madison chick and her sister. And any other random characters, too. She gives credit to VALVe. (To me) Who the hell is VALVe?**

**Never mind that. You read the story, and I'll meet you at the bottom of the page. Okay? Cool.**

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><p>You know, after seeing how crowded the traffic was before we got into Nashville, I'm surprised we had gotten all the way to Interstate 69 with no issues yet. For those who don't know, that's in western Kentucky.<p>

I will let you know, however, Nick was getting tired of hearing the same ten songs over and over again. As much as I love music, I had to agree. Mattie and Ellis got outvoted, and the music got turned off. I think it saved all of our sanities.

On another note, the voice in my head won't stop singing "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers. It wasn't even on the CD. It just started singing it.

**It's because it reminds you of someone, isn't it?**

Stupid voice.

**Hey, you know what you should do? Pretend to faint and see who comes to your aid. Besides Ellis.**

_Only reason Nick would is because he had to. You realize that?_

**When will you humans learn that you can't judge people based off their actions in the past? People change. God knows you have.**

_Shut. The hell. Up._

The voice struck a nerve there. I told you about how I had to pretty much change my whole identity, right? Because I was blamed for murder, right? No? I hadn't? Well, I have now. It's a touchy subject. I don't even like talking to Ellis about it.

_You bring that up again, and I will sing 'It's a Small World After All' in my head, in the most annoying tone I can._

That shut the voice up. Thing is; now it was quiet. The only sound was the engine humming and Nick occasionally reading directions. If this was anything like last time, Ellis was going to find the need to break the silence.

**3… 2… 1…**

"Ah spy, with my little eye, somethin' that starts with Z."

**Knew it.**

At least he wasn't singing.

"Zombie?" Mattie guessed. I almost forgot about her. Such a quiet person, she is.

"How'd ya know?"

"Unless you were going to say 'Zebra'…"

I like Mattie. She's alright. Good sense of humor, somewhat sarcastic (not as bad as Nick), and enjoys the same music I do. Still, something seems off about her. Then again… There's something off about me, too. Who am I to judge?

"Hey, Serene?" I heard Madison say from the back seat.

"Yeah?"

"Have you been to Evansville before?"

"I think once on my way to Savannah for Christmas, but not really. What's it like there? If we're going to stay there for so long, we might as well find out now."

Mattie hummed, "Well, of a winter it gets real cold, but it doesn't always snow. Summer gets real hot and more often than not there's a drought. Spring and Fall bring on I don't know how many sinus issues, but the Fall Festival always makes up for it."

"Oh yeah, I heard about that." Rochelle said, "It's the second biggest street festival in the States after Mardi Gras."

"Yup. Food booths, rides, games, parades… It's got everything! I really liked this one booth that made Red Velvet cupcakes. There's also the best onion rings _ever. _There's more bizarre foods, too, like chocolate covered cockroaches. Ugh… I couldn't bring myself to eat one."

"Sounds like it was a lot of fun," I commented.

Mattie sighed, "It was… Do you think when everything goes back to normal they'll start having them again?"

I couldn't bring myself to answer. Thankfully, Ellis is better at that. "Hell, if it's as awesome as it sounds, they'll have ta. Wish Ah coulda gone once."

I heard Mattie giggle a little, "Thanks, Ellis. You know, my sister was born the week of the festival. She's lucky. She gets to celebrate there almost every year. The festival was canceled this year, though. 'Cause of the flu…"

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's not all bad. You see, the booths are run by different organizations. Band Boosters, churches, Boy Scout Troops, you name it. Some of them sold the foods outside of stores. They keep for longer than you'd think. Maybe Lex got me that milkshake I wanted her to…"

Silence. I didn't want to say anything. In my experience, I turn situations like this into pessimistic outlooks. Not exactly what we need at the moment.

The silence lasted for maybe fifteen minutes. At the speed we were going (who needs speed limits when there are no cars or cops to stop you?) we had covered a lot of ground. But at the tail end of those fifteen minutes…

"Stop the car," Nick ordered.

I slammed my foot on the brake. We came to a screeching stop. "What? What?"

"Listen. Do you hear that?"

I put the SUV in park and listened. I heard this low, angry growl. My eyes shot wide. I glanced at Nick, then at everyone else.

"Tank."

Coach huffed, "I was wonderin' if we'd ever see one outside of Whisperin' Oaks. Damn…"

Mattie was looking at me, quizzically, "Tank? I'd heard about them, but I figured it was just survivors bragging about their achievements."

"Well, Ah've been bored fer a while now, can we go kill it?" Ellis asked. He's asking for it, isn't he?

"I'd prefer not to face a Tank when I can, Ellis," Rochelle said, much to the disappointment of my brother. I agreed with her. One of those things _did _break my leg, after all.

"We may not have to fight it, you know," Mattie's voice said from the furthest seat, "I've heard their quick and can outrun people, but could they outrun an SUV?"

I sighed. "They're changing. Mutating further and more dangerous. Ask Ellis about the damage one Jockey did to my back."

Ellis looked down, "Her back was covered in 'er own blood. The scratches looked like cuts from a knife. Maybe Serene's gotta point…"

"At this rate, who knows how fast they can run?" Rochelle exclaimed despairingly.

**You realize sitting here complaining about it won't get you any further from the Tank?**

I echoed the voice, but only because it was true. "So, plan of attack, people?"

A brief pause, then "Gun it, Serene. If we find the Tank, we find the Tank. They haven't stopped us yet."

"Sounds good to me," I said as I put the SUV back in drive.

I didn't floor it, but I might as well have. There was still a lot of ground between here and the next town, so cars didn't worry me. And driving at 120+ mph is a rush.

But then… I saw it.

I slammed on the brake, again. I think we all said something along the lines of, "Oh, shit."

"OUT OF THE CAR!" I yelled. We scrambled out and to the trunk so we could get our weapons, because the knife and pistol in my backpack ain't gonna do much against this behemoth.

I am not lying when I say this Tank was bigger than any other I had seen before. It was easily thirteen feet tall and nine feet wide. It was pink from sun exposure, but the Marine's tattoo was still clearly visible.

We managed to grab our guns, but that was all we had time for. My katana was lost, along with the axes. Hopefully we still had plenty of ammo.

We began firing round after round and clip after clip at the beast, avoiding it while we could, but the beast was fast. It hit me, and it felt like running into a brick wall at full speed. Times ten. How I was still alive, I didn't know.

I was about fifty feet away from the SUV, and I started limping back. The blow I took knocked my splint loose.

"Damn thing!" I cursed the splint. "Why can't my leg heal already?!"

My M16 was even a little banged up. It still worked, but it wouldn't if it took another hit like that.

When I had made it back to the fight, I opened fire once again. I had been in a situation like this before, but… not with a monster like this. And to think it was once human…

**CLICK!**

"Damn it! That was my last clip!" I cried, letting the others know.

I pulled my pistol from my backpack and began firing at the Tank. I don't know if it was helping or not, but I knew it was better than just standing there.

Nick and Ellis got launched the same way I did, but in completely different directions. Nick took a blow to the chest and Ellis took a blow to the back. Coach was firing everything his shotgun had to offer, but after three more blasts, he was in the same boat I was; firing pistols into the Tank.

The Tank had to be wearing out now. It had dark blood pouring from every wound on its body, but it was still fighting.

With Nick and Ellis back, it seemed like we were going to win this fight. Until the Tank pulled a move out of desperation.

With the swipe of one massive arm, it picked Rochelle and Coach up and threw them down the Interstate. _Threw!_ Tanks are _throwing_ people now!

**You're doomed.**

When even the voice in your head says you're doomed, you probably are. However, like I said earlier: it is human nature to prevent the inevitable. In this case, preventing death.

However, it seemed we had prevented it as long as we could when Ellis' shotgun ran out. Mattie had run out long before. And they didn't have pistols to fire.

I glanced at Nick. It seemed we were the only ones who could finish this Tank. And my pistol was starting to run low, also.

I had one more option left though.

"Ellis, Mattie, Nick, keep it distracted I have an idea."

"How?!"

"I don't know! Run!"

"Ah am _not _leavin' you alone with a Tank! You'll get killed!" Ellis called back.

I looked down. Then back at him as I fired my last shot into the Tank.

"Then I'll have died protecting you guys. Now RUN!"

Stunned by my words at first, they didn't move. But when they did run, the Tank followed them. Just as planned.

I took a syringe out of my backpack. I swore to myself I'd avoid these at all costs, but I've broken almost every other promise I've made.

I jabbed myself in the arm and…

**Whoa… even ****_I _****can feel that.**

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><p>(Mattie POV)<p>

Running has never been fun for me. I've never been an athletic person. I don't play basketball or volleyball, I don't run cross country, and I couldn't dream of track. However, the adrenaline rush from being chased by a huge monster set to kill you tends to make your endurance a little faster.

"What is she thinking?!" Nick exclaimed.

"Ah have no idea, but its suicide!" Ellis called back.

Suddenly, the pounding behind us stopped. The roaring didn't, but the monster wasn't chasing us anymore.

I don't want to know what made me want to look at it, but I did. I saw the Tank, ugly, gross, and scary as ever, with Serene… acting like a Jockey?

That made no sense.

"What is she doing?" I asked anyone who was listening.

Ellis and Nick turned to face this bizarre sight. Ellis took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair, confused as I was. Nick squinted a little, than smirked.

"She's trying to slit its throat."

I felt my eyes widen and I think I sweat-dropped like in the cartoons. She's so violent!

I kid you not; she was yanking the head of the Tank back with one hand and trying to cut through its neck with the other.

"How did she even get up there?" I asked.

"Ah don't wanna know right now. We gotta help her!" Ellis exclaimed.

Nick turned to face him, "With what?" Ellis looked down. "Listen, you two go off to find Coach and Rochelle. I'll stay and help her."

Ellis looked at the Tank, then his sister, then Nick. "Ah swear ta God, Nick, she'd better be okay when we get back."

"She'll be fine, Ellis," Nick promised, "Trust me."

Before Ellis had time to think about it, I said, "Let's go find them, Ellis."

We ran off, hearing the deafening roars of the monstrous Tank fade the further we ran. Part of me was relieved to be away from that thing. Part of me was terrified for who we left it with.

_Dear God, please let them be okay. Nick, Serene, Coach, Rochelle… all of them. Let them be okay!_

I heard Ellis mutter under his breath, "Ah am gonna kill Serene if she lives."

"She'll be fine, Ellis. And killing her would do you no good. She had the means to help, so she did," I replied.

Ellis came back with, "She shouldn't be sacrificin' herself like that. We coulda handled it."

"How? We're out of ammo and our other weapons were lost. Serene was in the same boat. She had her knife on her and she knew what needed to be done. That's brave of her."

"Ah suppose…"

* * *

><p>(Serene POV)<p>

Tank skin is like six inches of leather. Tough, dark, and hard to get through with a knife.

I knew it was weakening, though. Its attempts to throw me off its back were getting less angered and more pathetic. However, blood was only just now pouring from its neck wound.

I almost felt like I wasn't there while doing that. I knew I was there, but I felt like I was just watching as something else was controlling me. The only thing telling me I was actually the one doing this was my splint, loosened from the blow I took earlier, wiggling around and hurting my leg.

I noticed Mattie and Ellis run off. I figured that would happen. They had no ammunition and no melee weapons. Nick stayed behind and fired his one good pistol at the Tank's chest, taking care to avoid me.

After what felt like thirty minutes (which was probably more like fifteen seconds), I managed to slice open the Tank's jugular. I felt hot, sticky blood pour on to my hand before I jumped away from the monster.

What bothered me most about it was that the blood was black. It's just not natural!

The Tank collapsed to its knees and kinda took on a ragdoll affect. Only then did I get a glimpse at what I did to this behemoth. The fact I did that – and did it well, might I add – made me shudder.

"You okay Serene?" Nick asked as he walked over.

"Yeah, I'm just hurting a little." I just realized it was _Nick _that had asked. "Wait. Since when did _you _care? And where did Mattie and Ellis run off to?"

"I sent them after Rochelle and Coach. What were they gonna do with no weapons? Ellis wanted me to take care of you until we regroup."

_Way to go, big brother. Leave me with Nick._

**You only dread this because of how you feel about him. Don't deny it. You're falling in love with Nick.**

_Even if I was, which I'm not saying I am, I can't get attached to people I might lose. Ellis is family, sure. But that's different. I simply can't love anymore._

**Love happens, whether you want it to or not.**

_I can control it though._

**But for how long? How long until you give up controlling it and admit it. You have to, eventually, or you're denying human nature. If you deny being human, would that mean you're admitting to being something inhuman? Like, say, a zombie?**

_What does that have to do with anything? Even if I _were_ to let myself fall in love, it wouldn't be with Nick. He's a sarcastic, complaining, pessimistic, self-centered conman._

**You're a sarcastic, complaining, pessimistic, Gothic, liar. You didn't even tell them your real name.**

_I had it changed!_

**To avoid persecution.**

_Ellis introduced me to them as Serene, didn't he? I'll tell them one day, maybe, but they don't need to worry about it right now._

"You okay there, Serene?" Nick asked, interrupting me from my argument with the voice in my head. "You're looking a little distracted."

"I'm fine. Just thinking." Not a total lie. Just a partial truth. Nick didn't seem to believe me though. I could see it in his face.

How does he _do_ that? It's like he's reading my mind, which no one should if they could. Yeah, I share my thoughts with you, reader, but that's different. I don't have to listen to you lecture me, for example.

**Say what you want, but you won't be able to hide the truth forever. He'll find out. It is only a matter of time, which you don't have much of. In fact, if I were you, I'd make sure you let everyone know the truth before you go doing something like that again, so if you die, they'll write the correct name on the wall.**

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><p><strong>Nice to see you down here. Enjoy the story? I'd like to hear what you thought about it. Fatty Waffey is awesome for reviewing every time I put a chapter up, but I <strong>**_know_**** she isn't the only one out there. ****_I AM IMMUNE! I WON'T BITE! PROMISE!_**

**Nick: Down to begging? Really?**

**That's not begging Nick. I will not stoop that low… Yet… That's just slight desperation talking. Anyway. I gotta find a way to cheer Serene up. Maybe revealing her secret to the readers is what put her in such a foul mood (dodges thrown knife). Whoa, nice throw. It's gotta be like twenty feet from off screen to here. (To Serene) At least ****_he _****doesn't know yet!**

**Well, until next time, happy Fanfiction-ing.**


	14. Chapter 14: Bad News

**I am so sorry for the hold-up. Band season has lasted longer than expected and I have gotten distracted. Even worse, this damn chapter didn't save! :(**

**Rochelle: At least you're back at it know, right? I have a good feeling about this chapter**

**You sound like Louis. Do the disclaimer.**

**Rochelle: Dawn doesn't own us. Ownly Serene, Mattie, Lex, and the other OCs. We belong to something she calls VALVe.**

**Beautiful. Roll the story.**

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><p>(Mattie POV)<p>

We had been walking for what felt like hours. I know it was merely minutes, but it still felt like it took forever. And still no sign of Rochelle and Coach. Part of me wondered if they were even alive. The Tank threw them pretty far, after all…

"You think they're okay?" I asked Ellis.

"Who? Coach an' Ro? Sure. They're tough people. 'Course Ah guess ya can't be a big wimp and survive this, but still," Ellis replied. "Ah'm a lil more worried 'bout Serene."

I shrugged, "She seems capable of taking care of herself. Nick, too. I think they'll be fine."

Ellis sighed, "Ah don't know. Ro told me the other day that since Serene showed up Ah been a lil different. Maybe it's 'cause she's the only family Ah got left…"

I looked down, "I don't even know if my sister's still alive. Even if she is, does she know I am?"

"Ah ever tell ya 'bout my buddy, Keith?" Ellis asked. Serene had told me that Ellis tends to ramble about things, but I hadn't heard him yet. "He nearly died Ah don't know how many times. But he always made it. When Serene asked 'im one time, how he kept livin' through getting' rolled by a gator, drivin' 'is car into a river, or somethin' like that; he just said that he had the will ta live. From what you've said of yer sister, she sounds like she'd got the will ta live, too."

I smiled a little, "She does. She's stubborn as an ox, too. Serene reminds me of her in that respect. And I can see it in her eyes that she won't let anything stop her from protecting herself and you guys. She'll be okay, Ellis."

Ellis tugged on the bill of his cap a little before he said, "Yeah. She will."

(Serene POV)

I had to sit down. The effects of adrenaline rushes are nice while you've got them, but the crash afterwards is murder. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Thankfully, the dying roar of the Tank seemed to scare off any Infected. Made me feel a little better about being so far away from the rest of the group.

Accept for Nick.

He and I didn't speak much. There was simply nothing to say. This made it slightly awkward, but even more awkward was the voice in my head telling me I'm falling in love with him.

The "Most Awkward Fact" award goes to the fact that it might be right.

I tried to ignore this, however, and was doing a relatively decent job. How can you think of things like that when you're thinking about how you're going to kill your brother who more or less left you in this situation? Until the voice of reason comes into play, anyway.

**This isn't Ellis' fault and you know it. He had no ammunition left for his weapon and no way of defending himself should the Tank manage to throw you off. It was nice of Nick to send them on a rescue mission.**

I almost forgot that Rochelle and Coach were thrown a distance away by the Tank. Hopefully they're okay.

I set my knife down and did what I could to fix my splint. Not easy, given that it was nearly demolished, but I had to keep walking. I was _not _going to stay behind, completely alone with hardly a means of protecting myself.

Nick asked me a question, returning me from my thoughts to my surroundings. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"With the Tank," Nick replied. "I noticed you were limping earlier and figured it knocked it loose. How'd you manage to do that?"

I smiled softly. "I had an adrenaline shot in my backpack. It helped me with the pain and boosted my speed. I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not exactly the most athletic girl alive."

Nick tried not to smirk – covering by looking away for a moment – but I still caught it. It was gone in a moment. The same moment I heard a high pitched squeal, not like a Hunter's scream, as well as faint giggling.

_Jockeys are learning to keep their mouths shut, as it seems. And it's no surprise there'd be a Spitter near. Maybe they had a relationship before the Infection hit…_

"We need to get going," Nick said in a low tone. I couldn't disagree. The last Spitter we saw was that old lady around Nashville, I think. If memory serves, Spitter acid is becoming more corrosive, enough to begin dissolving cement. I do not want to be stuck in that.

Nick and I started heading down the interstate. We were looking for either my brother and Mattie, or the Spitter and Jockey. Do I need to say I was hoping we'd run into the former first?

The scariest part of all of this was the fact they were learning. In movies and video games, the zombies don't change much. But I know enough that the real world is nothing like the world of cinema. Their maybe some of the classic zombies, but the Special Infected were something no one could have predicted.

"Jockey!" Nick called out. He held his pistol as if he was going to shoot it, but he wasn't, which surprised me a little.

"What are you waiting on?! Those buggers are fast!" I demanded.

"A better shot." Fair enough.

I heard a hack as the Spitter spat its vile acid. Some of it splashed me, but my jeans protected my legs from the pain I could see in the fiery goo.

Part of me felt helpless as I began searching for the Spitter. No ammunition meant I'd have to get up close and personal with these Infected if I wanted them dead. _I can't _wait _until we find more guns._

I saw the Spitter, but I didn't go after it, in fear of the Jockey getting Nick. Call me paranoid, but I don't like wandering on my own if it can't be helped.

The Jockey reached us, and I heard Nick fire a few shots, but the creature was tougher than expected. It latched onto my back and pulled me towards the Spitter's acid patch. I let out a, "DAMN JOCKEY!" as it did so.

I felt it scratch my back once or twice, but nothing as bad as that _thing _in Whispering Oaks. Still, doesn't mean it didn't _hurt like hell._

The Jockey suddenly went limp and my ears rang from gunshot. I guess Nick held his gun against the Jockey's head. He grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the acid, too. **Someone cares for you, Serene.**

_Not the best time, voice!_

I massaged my ears, trying to make the ringing stop as Nick took down the Spitter with a good headshot.

When my hearing had returned, I thanked Nick for his help, to which he merely shrugged. I took the time to look over the damages.

My splint was now beyond repair. The wooden frame was dissolved completely and the leather bindings were demolished. I could feel blood on my back, too. My own blood. Don't ask how I know this, but zombie blood is cooler than human blood. _Was it really less intense than that Jockey before, or am I building up a tolerance? _ The latter would send chills down my spine if I could shudder without pain.

My arms were torn, too. I don't even know how that happened. I guess when the Jockey first got me it dug its claws into my arms.

I took my sole first-aid kit out of my backpack, which hurt more than I thought it would. I sighed. This was going to hurt, trying to do this myself.

As if he read my mind, Nick sat down and disinfected the wounds, which stung enough to make me grind my teeth. He covered them with gauze and wrapped them in bandages. It kinda surprised me actually, but I felt I could have done it myself.

"You don't have to do this, Nick," I told him.

He ignored my statement and began fashioning a splint out of what he could salvage from the old one and bits of my leather jacket (I didn't need those pockets anyway).

"Seriously, Nick, I can do this."

"You couldn't even reach the part of your back that got hurt. This bother you or something?"

_You mean does it bother me that I might have to strip down for this? How did he know?!_

I didn't say that. Instead I replied with, "Just a little."

"I wouldn't have promised your brother I'd take care of you if I didn't mean it," Nick said. "Despite what you might think, I am a man of my word when it comes down to things like this."

**Told you he's trust worthy.**

_Do you always have to be right? Seriously. It's annoying as –_

My thoughts were cut off as Nick began disinfecting the wounds on my back. Or at least, what he could. Even that stung like hell and then some. I had to grind my teeth just to keep from swearing out loud.

"Uh Serene. I hate to do this to you -" Somehow I doubt he meant that. "- But you're going to have to take your shirt off."

I hate my life.

* * *

><p>(Mattie POV again)<p>

Ellis and I had been following trail of blood that led further down the road when we heard gunshot from behind us. Serene and Nick.

"You still think they're okay?" Ellis asked.

"It means their still alive. We don't even know about Rochelle and Coach. We have to be getting close though. That blood is fresh," I pointed out to the red splats mixed among the darker red.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of color against the dull trees. At first I thought it was blue, but the more I thought about it, I wondered if it was the purple from Coach's polo.

"Coach?" I called, "You out there?"

"Ca-caw, ca-caw, ca-caw!" Ellis called. I shot him a _what the hell_ look. "Zombies ain't gonna call back."

"Ellis? Mattie? That you?" I heard ever-so faintly.

Ellis called out, "Coach? Where are ya, man?!"

"Ah'm in a ditch somewhere. Smoker on my ass."

We followed where Coach was calling from, searching for the Smoker along the way, but I didn't see the vile creature. Serene may hate the things, but _dear God, _Smokers are gross!

We did find Coach though, hurriedly doctoring a wound on his leg. "Oh. It's you. Thought it was that smokin' bitch."

"Are you okay?" I asked the older man.

"Okay enough. But..."

Ellis interrupted him, "Where's Ro?"

* * *

><p><strong>HAHAHAHAHA!<strong>

_Shut the hell up._

**Who's gonna make me? Nick? HAHA!**

I swear to God, I was going to find a way to kill the voice in my head if it meant bashing a two-by-four against my head. *Grumble*

"Did you hear that?" Nick asked, cutting into my argument.

"No, I was... lost in my own thoughts." Partial truth. Hopefully he didn't pick up on it.

"Sounded like Ellis' dumb bird call," Nick replied. Oh yes, Ellis told me all about that. It wasn't a horrible idea, it was just kind of annoying.

"They found them?"

"That's what I'm thinking. It came from down the road. You okay to run?"

"Makeshift splint and all? Yeah. Let's go."

So we took off running as fast - and as quiet - as we could down the road, looking for our companions. I ignored the Smoker's wheezing I heard and focused on finding my friends and brother.

**And making sure you keep up with your boyfriend.**

I ignored that.

Ellis was supporting Coach's weight on one side and Mattie was holding his baseball bat for him. Coach was alive. Good.

"Is he okay?" I asked as I approached him.

"Ah landed on a bush a Hunter was sleepin' in. The bitch tore my leg, but Ah mananged ta kill it. Thing is..."

"Rochelle?" Nick asked.

"That's the thing... She's... well.. ummm..." Ellis struggled to find words. I only now had noticed that Mattie was fighting tears.

She swallowed a lump in her through I could see growing and murmured barely loud enough to be heard.

"She's dead."

* * *

><p><strong>I sense a disturbance in my tiny fanbase. For the record, I don't hate Rochelle. It was <strong>**_literally _****the luck of the draw. I knew from the beginning one character was going to have to go, but I thought it would be Ellis. He dodged a bullet when I began to make Serene closer to the others until I couldn't decide. RIP Rochelle. I apologize if it seems rushed. I'll probably redo this when I can, I just wanted to give you all something to show I'm alive.**

**Ellis: She didn't do nothin' ta deserve it, Miss Dawn. Crosses arms expecting a better explination**

**Yeesh, now Ellis hates me. Oh well. Reviews in memory of Rochelle please!**

**Ellis: I hope you get hit with a Karma Charger.**

**I probably will. Until then, Dawn's out. Peace.**


	15. Chapter 15: Grief

**Chapter 15: Grief**

**I'm BAAAAACK! Yay! I apologize entirely for the long freaking wait, but at least I'm back now. Miss me? Well, from now on, my kid sister will be helping me stay on task. Isn't that right, Lil Dawn?**

** Lil Dawn: Sure am! Dawn keeps saying how much she loves her reviewers, and it makes me happy to see her so happy.**

** Will you please do the disclaimer, mini-me?**

** Lil' Dawn: My sister doesn't own Left 4 Dead 2. She only owns Serene and... Mattie? But... isn't that me? How do you own me?**

** It's complicated. Someone roll the story, before I lose interest again!**

* * *

><p>"She's dead," Mattie murmured before sobbing into my brother's shoulder. He wrapped her in a hug in an attempt to soothe her, but I could see the sadness and grief in his blue eyes.<p>

I couldn't believe it. Rochelle? Dead? It couldn't be possible. Rochelle... I mean, she was a bit of a nag at some times, but that doesn't mean I didn't like her. She was much nicer than I can expect anyone to be towards a stranger in a time like this, and it was her kindness – and Ellis', but that's not the point – that let me _trust _other people!

I wanted to scream, but instead I remained silent.

**That's life for you. **

_Look, voice, just shut the hell up and leave me alone. All you ever do is drive me even _more _insane. I'd be better off without you, regardless of anything you might say. You think you're helpful, sure, but you torment me about relationships I can't have, remind me how pointless anything is, and downright depress me. JUST GO AWAY ALREADY!_

**I'd love to, Serene. But you're stuck with me.**

I gave up arguing and just stared at the ground. First the Tank that breaks my splint, then being stuck alone with Nick in the most awkward situation I've ever been in, now this? Screw this.

Mattie was fighting back tears, Ellis was clenching his fists, Nick showed no expression at all, and Coach stared off into space more often than not. All was silent, except for the persistent hacking in the distance.

"Things are tough, and Ro's death is depressin'," Coach said, breaking the silence with a raspy, tired voice. "But we gotta get movin'. Some Smoker's gonna show up if we don't, and we don't got any weapons to fight it."

I had to agree. As much as I wanted to mourn her, like customs before the Green Flu called for, our lives had to come first. Rochelle could be mourned later. Still, that doesn't mean we didn't feel grief.

Mattie had given up on holding back. She walked with Ellis, letting tears roll down her cheeks. Her crying was almost contagious, but I held them back. It wasn't the first time I've had to, nor will it be the last.

We walked for about fifteen minutes in total silence. The only sounds were the rustling of tree branches in the wind, the call of a few zombies looking for human flesh, and our footsteps against the bloodstained pavement. My thoughts tend to get away from me whenever it's this quiet. Apparently, this meant the voice got to speak with me again.

**Oh, stop your moping. Humans are mortal creatures. If life is so sacred, then why do people waste it? Get over it already.**

_Human life _is _sacred because it is so short! People "waste" it because they want to enjoy themselves before they die. And I have every right to mourn! Rochelle meant a lot to everyone in this group, and now she's dead. And even if she didn't mean much to someone, then they're still going to mourn because they have been reminded that life is so short and that we could die any day, now._

Oh, it was such a huge stress reliever, getting the opportunity to snap at the voice again. I let off steam without speaking a word. And the best part was that the voice couldn't – or wouldn't – say anything to combat that. Score one for Serene!

"Is that a car up ahead?" Nick asked, breaking the silence and luring me out of my thoughts.

I looked ahead to see a black sedan. It seemed too easy. Something was going to go wrong, and I knew it. There had to be a catch. The doors were locked. The alarm was set. There was no gas. _Something. _With my luck, there is no way in the _world _anything could ever be _this easy._

The closer we got, the more dread I felt. I murmured my discomfort aloud. "I've got a bad feeling about this, guys..."

"Me too..." Nick muttered. He walked closer to the car, carefully inspecting it. "The doors are locked and there's an alarm set. If Ellis tries to break into it, he'll set it off. I am _not even _in the mood for a horde. What now?"

What now, indeed. If we didn't try, there wouldn't be another car for miles and it would be a very long walk to Indiana. If we did, an alarm would be set and we would be killed by _common _infected because of our lack of weaponry.

"Call a vote?" I suggested. "Are there any other ideas, first of all?" Silence. "Okay. Who actually wants to walk to Indiana? No one? Who wants to risk dying at the hands of the zombies that were attracted by an alarm because we don't have any decent weapons – or any with ammunition, at that? Those are our options."

"I'd rather be safe than sorry..." Mattie murmured, still quivering from crying. Poor girl would be messed up for a while. We all would be, at some level.

"Ah don't know, Mattie. I might git lucky an' be able ta unlock it, easy."

"And if you don't," Nick said, "We'll all die. Is there anyone who _really _wants to risk it? I'd rather walk than die." Coach agreed with him.

"I have faith in your abilities, Ellis. There aren't that many zombies around, anyway," I said. There weren't. The Special Infected were few and far between, then. Maybe it's just because we were in the middle of nowhere and not many people were around to turn.

"Screw it. Ah'm gonna try. Even if Ah mess up, Ah'll be quick. Just gimme a minute."

Ellis began unlocking the jostled it around until the door unlocked. He opened the doors, and we all climbed in. Coach took shotgun. Nick, Mattie and I were in the back seat. Meanwhile, Ellis was in the front seat, attempting to hijack the car. He must have crossed the wrong wires, because the alarm was soon blaring loudly.

Coach yelled over the siren, "It's about ta get all Baghdad and shit!"

We all closed our doors in effort to shield us from any zombie attackers. I held my blade anyway, in case the door failed on me. It probably wouldn't protect me from the onslaught of zombies that were sure to come, but it would give me a fighting chance, at least.

Soon enough, dozens of zombies came running our way. I saw a Hunter leaping among them, trying to get to us first. "Come on, Ellis!" I pushed my brother. "They're coming!"

"Ah know! Ah'm workin' on it!"

Soon, the engine roared to life. Ellis put it in gear and floored the gas. "Hang on ta somethin'!" he yelled as he charged directly for the zombies ahead of us. I grabbed my seat and braced for impact.

Zombie after zombie hit the windshield. Some fell under the car, creating a bumpy ride. After a while, the zombies stopped chasing us and we got further along. If luck was on our side – and I can hardly say that with a straight face – we might be able to make it to Indiana without any more trouble.

Then again. Things never go smoothly, do they?

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you all liked the first chapter after my extremely long hiatus. I apologize once more for that. And that's against Rule #6.<strong>

** Lil Dawn: NCIS, if you didn't know.**

** As always, reviews are appreciated. I promise I'll try to be more active now that A) band is over, B) my life is in order, and C) the holidays are over. Oh, and to the Guest that reviewed earlier from England, I apologize for your troubles. It won't happen again. To Lunar Wolf Fenrir, I agree. I'm glad I didn't chicken out, either.**


	16. Chapter 16: Indiana Bound

**Chapter 16: Indiana Bound**

**Just to set the record state, there will be lots of Indiana hate in this chapter. If you're from there, don't hate me. I'm a Hoosier, too. I have ****_nothing _****against this state. It's just a dull little place, sometimes. It's just some harmless humor and stereotyping. With that out of the way... Serene? You speaking to me again?**

**_Serene_****: I guess so. Disclaimer?**

** Disclaimer.**

**_Serene_****: Dawnwish112 doesn't own Left 4 Dead 2 or any of the locations. They are based off real-world locations. She only owns myself and any other original characters mentioned. And by the way, Bosse, the name of the high school Mattie's friends and family are at, is pronounced like "Bossy". Just to clear that up.**

** Perfect. Let's roll.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>(Mattie POV)<span>**

As far as road trips go, this had been one of the worst I'd ever been on. The zombies were one thing. Loosing Rochelle is another. I might not have known her as long as the others did, but I've always been emotional about these kinds of things. You can ask my sister about that. Well... soon enough, anyway.

We were silent in the car, so when Ellis said, "Ah think we're in Kentucky, now... Henderson's in Kentucky, right? That there sign says that Henderson's about thirteen miles away." it broke the silence like a sledgehammer to a glass window.

For the record, Henderson _is _in Kentucky. Evansville is across the river and directly south of Henderson, to be exact. So I answered with, "Yeah, and we're getting close. Once we're across the Ohio River, I can pick out which way to go."

"Kentucky, huh? Feelin' at home, Aylus?" Nick said, faking a southern accent.

"That's not cool, Nick..." Ellis retorted.

Serene chimed in, asking, "You have an issue with country-folk, you city-slicker?"

I giggled a little. If these three ever get into it, someone _always_ gets burned. And I love watching someone get burned.

"City-slicker? _Really_? _That's_ the best you've got?" Nick asked.

"Not the point!" Oh this was going to get _good! _Where is my popcorn!

"Do y'all gotta do this right now?" Coach asked, clearly trying to restore some peace to the situation. Personally, I saw this as some comic relief. And after Rochelle's... death... Let's just say it was some much needed laughter. "Y'all are worse than my kids were!"

If the others heard him, I don't think they cared. "At least  
>I don't worship a zombie stock car driver."<p>

"Hey! Leave Jimmy Gibbs Jr. out of this!" Ellis cried.

Not understanding, I asked, "Wait, what?"

Serene rolled her eyes. "Apparently, Ellis' favorite stock car driver took his car to this mall, the same one they all tried to get evacuated from."

"And the bastard turned into a zombie," Nick finished. "God _damn _you, Jimmy Gibbs Jr.!"

"Oh would you knock it off! For the love of..." Coach grumbled.

Nick ignored him, still. I was getting a kick out of this entire conversation, to be honest. "Then _Aylus_ decided we should take it to New Orleans. Lotta good that was after we got to Whispering Oaks."

"Hey! The Jimmy Gibbs took us all the way from Savannah to there. You coulda _walked, _ya know."

"Nicholas! Leave the boy alone! Keep distractin' 'im, an' we'll all end up in a ditch on the side of the road. Ah know you don't want that!" Coach said, clearly fed up with their antics. _But it was just getting good!_

Regardless. The three shut up. Oh well. Maybe next time someone will get burned. I returned to staring out the window, trying not to think about... you-know-who's you-know-what.

Instead, I tried to figure how long it would take to get there. We were going about 100 mph, Henderson was about 13 miles away... so that'd be... about 8 minutes to Henderson. And Henderson is about 13 minutes driving time under normal circumstances. Under these, it would be about seven. Fifteen minutes to Evansville...

From there on, I started counting the miles. I felt myself smile when we passed the mile marker that showed about ten miles to Evansville. Six minutes.

"You sure are smiley, Mattie," Serene said, her green eyes confused, though a little bit of fire from the earlier argument still showing in them. Maybe I could stir the pot, later...

"I've been doing the math in my head, and we're about six minutes away from Evansville at these rates," I explained as I tucked my light brown hair behind my ears. "I can't wait to be home again."

"Ah'm sure yer sister'll be happy ta see ya, too, Mattie," Ellis said, though I barely heard him over my own happy thoughts. Have you ever been so happy, you just got high on life? I never thought it would be possible during these days, with the Green Flu and everything, but there I was, in the back seat of that cramped sedan, wounded from a Tank but happier than anyone in the world.

I was almost home.

* * *

><p><strong><span>(Serene POV)<span>**

When we got to the bridge, I though Mattie would _never _stop her excited giggling. I was happy for her – I can relate to the excitement she felt at the prospect of being reunited with her lost sibling, after all – but the giggling was almost annoying.

However, her giggles _did _stop. The bridge that crossed the Ohio River, that joined this part of Indiana and Kentucky, was destroyed. It looked like it was bombed.

"But we're so close!" Mattie cried in exasperation.

"Don't get all beat up yet, Mattie," Coach said, hope in his deep tone, "There might be another way across."

"We could swim," Ellis suggested.

I gave him a look. "Seriously? My leg?"

"Oh yeah..."

Nick looked down at the river. "There aren't any boats in the water, so we aren't getting across that way."

"An' don't even think about trying ta jump _this _car across the river, boy," Coach said scornfully. Was he referencing Keith's attempt with that rusty old pick-up truck, or Ellis' with that stock car? Or both?

"Y'all ain't ever gonna let me live that down, are ya?" Ellis asked, crossing his arms and faking a pout.

"Hey, guys!" Mattie called from a bit of a distance away. "There's a gas station over here. It's hardly been touched!"

Hard to resist that. The five of us entered this gas station to see that her words were true. The only things that had been raided out were Monster Energy Drinks. Those things are about 70% caffeine and 30% sugar. Who would want those _that bad?_ Coffee works just fine for me.

"Wow. Even the cigarettes are still here," Nick said with surprise evident in his tone. "I wonder why no one's hit this place yet..."

His question was answered with the cocking of a shotgun. We all froze where we were. I shifted my gaze to the assailant. It was a tall man, almost taller than Nick, with brown hair, blue eyes, and some graying facial hair. His eyes seemed like they were once kind and welcoming, but they were now cold. Whether it was forced or he had become cold was unknown to me. It was a very masterful poker face and I usually only use that description with Nick.

He wasn't alone. Soon, there was a girl pointing her rifle at myself. She was younger than me, but older than Mattie. She had dark brown hair and blue-green-gray eyes. Her clothing was tattered, but I could see she wasn't much a killer. Judging by the backpack that rattled when she walked, she held all the pain pills and other medical supplies. Probably the nurse or doctor type.

Holding my Coach and Mattie hostage was another girl, about the same age and height as the nurse, with freckled skin, brown eyes, and a reddish-brown ponytail. _She _was more the fighter, and it was clear. Her muscles were more toned than the nurse's. She wore clothing that was lightweight and flexible, like a jogger's suit. She was an athletic girl, if not one that worked out every other day.

Then there was the one pointing a magnum at my brother. I could see she was a girl who had it rough, even before this thing started. Her hair was messy and black with a single hot-pink stripe. Her green and brown eyes had deep, dark circles under them. I could almost say it looked like she smoked weed at one point, but I couldn't be sure. Judging by the twitches though, she was the one that drank all the Monsters.

My point? This group looked like they knew what they were doing.

"Who are you?" the man asked, not moving his shotgun from the back of Nick's head.

"Just passing through," Nick replied. "We were going to go across the bridge after a supply run."

"That's our turf, too," the girl in the jogger's outfit said. "Evansville is ours."

"And the only way you can get into Evansville is through us. Every other way in is destroyed."

"I'm from Evansville, though!" Mattie exclaimed, causing the stoner-chick to point her gun at her more directly, cocking her magnum.

The woman holding me at gunpoint looked at Mattie, and I began to see some resemblance between them. Almost enough to be...

**Sisters.**

"Madison? Is that you?" the nurse asked.

"Alexis?"

All of the attackers were now looking at Mattie. "You know these people?" Nick asked her.

"Of course I do! Guys! It's me! Madison Martin! Lex's sister!"

One by one, they glanced over at Mattie, murmuring in disbelief. None of them dared to lower their guns though. They all looked at her with a familiarity that showed they had to know each other. I did my best not to panic and do something I'd regret.

**Just stay calm, Serene. Let Mattie do the talking. She knows them.**

"I though Lex said you were captured by CEDA?" the athlete said.

"I was, but I escaped from there and got to Nashville, where I met _them,_" Mattie explained, her voice becoming higher in pitch out of excitement.

"Lea, let Mattie go," the man ordered. Lea obeyed quickly, obviously used to taking orders from him. Come to think of it, all the girls seemed used to taking orders from that man.

**No, Serene, he's not a player. Those girls look to be in their teens. He looks older than Nick, but younger than Coach.**

_I didn't think he was. I figured a coach or teacher or parent, maybe._

**Whatever you say, pervert.**

_I am not a pervert! Now can I please focus on the task at hand?!_

"You going to let _them_ go, Mr. Hulsey?" Mattie asked, clearly trying to use a more innocent tone. She wasn't exactly the right age to pull that off, but she thought she could. Then I realized she used a title speaking to him. So he _was_ a teacher, then. "They're my friends."

"Are they Carriers?" Alexis asked her sister.

"I... don't know. But they haven't turned yet. They've come from Savannah, Georgia, too. Wouldn't most people have turned before they even got out of their city?"

"She has a point..." Lea said.

"It doesn't mean anything, Mattie," Alexis said, not taking her eyes off me. I did the same, constantly watching this girl that could easily kill me with just the push of a button. Can you blame me for feeling a little nervous? "It could take anywhere from five minutes to a month of infection to turn. Even getting bitten doesn't always work. The only way to find out is a blood test."

"Uhh... 'Scuse me fer interrupting, but... how do ya find out if yer a Carrier or not?" My brother asked respectively. I'll always admire that about him. Even during a time where most people would be panicking, Ellis can manage to stay calm and be polite.

"It's based on genetics," Alexis said. "But it's different depending on gender. For males, the gene only needs to be present on the paternal side. For girls, it must be present on both the paternal and maternal sides."

"Umm... What?"

Nick explained before anyone else could in a tone that was rather annoyed by his ignorance. "For a guy, your dad has to be a Carrier. For a girl, both parents have to be Carriers." Alexis confirmed with a nod.

"And you can tell this by the way our blood cells look?" I asked, unbelieving of this. This girl looked to be in high school, and she had more insight to the Infection than we did. How did she know?

"Of course. It's a matter of how your blood cells respond to the Green Flu. Blood that has been 100% infected is completely black, as you might have noticed, because the Flu has invaded the cells and has begun to deteriorate it. Carrier blood is still red because it enters the cells, but is unable to tear it down. I can look and see if there is any deterioration in the cells, and if there isn't any, congratulations. If not, get lost."

**I like that Alexis woman. Smart young lady.**

_What and I'm not?_

**Did you know any of that?**

_Well... no. You know what, just shut up for a while, why don't you?_

"So do a blood test. Killing them isn't necessary!" Mattie said with urgency in her voice. That little girl just might save us, yet.

The teacher looked at Alexis, "Do we have the equipment to do blood tests?"

"We do."

"Then let's get going."

* * *

><p><strong>Phew! That was a work out. Not really, but I'm not nearly as rusty as I thought I was.<strong>

**_Serene: _****Beats what you ****_were_**** doing!**

**Oh? And what was that.**

**_Serene: _****Fangirling over Assassins' Creed 3.**

**I was not! Okay maybe a little. It's an awesome game, what can I say? But I recently bought L4D1, so I should be back now. Better than nohing, I suppose. If only I could get my hands on the DLC... Whatever. Better get started on the next chapter. Click the little next arrow, por favor!**


	17. Chapter 17: Welcome to Evansville?

_**Nick: **_**So lemme get this straight, we just drove for three days straight, lost Rochelle, and got held hostage because of some crazy Hoosiers? Seriously? That just happened?**

**Get over it Nick. Be grateful you got as far as you did. And disclaimer, please! For old times' sake!**

_**Nick: **_**Fine. The only things Dawnwish112 owns – that's your name? - are Serene, Mattie and the Hoosier people. Locations are based off real-world places now. Hayseed, Coach and I belong to... What the hell is VALVe?**

**It's a long story I don't have time for. Roll this one, please!**

* * *

><p><strong>(Serene's POV)<strong>

Quick recap.

I just walked into a gas station that had been left in _pristine _condition to be held hostage by four Hoosiers that ended up being Mattie's sister, her teacher, and some friends of hers. Now, we're being escorted to the river, where we're to find some magic way across we didn't see earlier. Lovely.

**And to top it all off, they want to kill you if you don't turn out to be a Carrier.**

And that.

To be honest, I think we were all just too weary from travel, that evil freaking Tank, and Rochelle's passing to fight them. Nick didn't even curse anyone out. If memory serves, I held Nick at gunpoint once before and he returned the favor.

The four of them surrounded us, nearly herding us, I walked next to Nick and my brother, following Coach and Mattie. I murmured under my breath, unheard by our escorts because of the river, but heard by Ellis and Nick, for sure. "I don't like this..."

"Me neither..."

"Ah don't know, guys. It kinda makes sense. Ah mean. If we weren't immune, we'd prolly be zombies right now. Ah know Ah wouldn't wanna wake up ta see someone turned into a Hunter or whatever."

Nick seemed surprised as he whispered, "That's actually a good point, Ellis."

"Ah'm not an idiot, Nick."

"He just has his moments," I added before smiling innocently at my brother.

Our escorts stopped abruptly. "Wait here," Mr. Hulsey, the teacher said before climbing down a gravel hill he dug some gravel off of a pile, revealing a blue tarp. Under there was a fishing boat large enough to carry two or three people across at a time. That would be easy enough. If there weren't nine of us present.

"Some people might have to swim, unless you want to wait for the boat to come back."

As if on cue – and I don't know how people keep doing that – there was a Hunter growling softly in the background. A quick weapon tally showed we had a baseball bat, my knife, and whatever the Hoosiers had on them.

"Let's just have those that are able swim across," Lea said, hearing the Hunter, also. "Those sweatshirt-wearing freaks are evil!"

"At least they can't swim," the Monster addict – Christina was her name – commented.

"Thank God for that," Alexis replied. "Makes fortifying the school worthwhile."

Deciding I'd had enough of not making pleasant conversation with the strangers, I asked, "Wait, so you're taking shelter in a school?"

"Not just taking shelter," Alexis answered, "We're... kinda thriving."

Lea replied, "Bosse is the oldest high school in Evansville that hasn't renovated as much as some of the others. We made our improvements, like a huge barbwire fence around the place with a locked gate. The internet comes and goes, we have a couple generators powering the place. For now, I'd say we're living in the lap of luxury."

"Sure we are! All we need is more Monsters!" Christina cheered.

It was getting hard to believe. Internet? Electricity? The ability to have warm food? That was possible here? I couldn't hardly wait to see it for myself, considering the way we've been living is less than healthy. Cold canned goods and candy bars were not going to cut it for much longer. Sleeping for about thirty minutes was not going to work for much longer. It's things like this that I'm pretty sure have driven me to insanity. And the voice.

**You'll miss me.**

_No I won't._

Which reminded me. When should I tell them about the voice? I wasn't about to tell the Hoosiers. I figured Ellis first. Then Nick and Coach. Maybe. I wasn't sure. How do you tell your brother your going insane and here a voice that isn't really there? I might not even _have _to... hopefully.

"Alright. Who's going in the boat?" Hulsey asked.

"Serene here's gotta broken leg. She can't swim right now, sir," Coach replied, answering for me. I mouthed my thanks.

"Fine. Who else? Lex. Christina. In the boat. Everyone else swims across."

Ellis seemed... excited about it. As did Lea and Mattie. Nick was less than amused. Probably because that precious suit of his was about to be ruined for good this time. Not like it wasn't before. Another layer of Boomer bile, and it would be about the same color. _He'll get over it._

So Ellis helped me into the boat, then gave a good shove for us, casting the boat into the water. Alexis rowed across the river moments after Ellis dove right in.

"So you're Serene?" Alexis asked, "Nice to meet you. I'm Alexis. You can call me Lex. Everyone else does."

"And I'm Christina. Uhh... Hey Lex? I think I crashed again."

Lex rolled her eyes. "If you hate the crashes, stop drinking the Monsters."

"But I like being hyper!"

"Then get over the crashes!"

"But I hate the crashes!"

That got old fast. Apparently, Christina is a childish teenager. _She and Ellis are going to get along famously._

**Nick's gonna hate her. I bet he calls her a bitch before the end of the month.**

_Oh, probably worse than that._

"So, Serene," Lex started, obviously wanting to change the subject, "How you break your leg, anyway?"

"Freaking Tank..." I grumbled. "Nick – that's the guy in the suit – he was nice enough to make a splint for it, but that one got broken by a Charger. So he made another. That one got knocked loose I don't know how many times, then finally dissolved in a acid patch. I doubt my leg'll ever heal?"

"Does it still hurt from time to time?" Lex asked. I knew she was the doctor type, even before that IQ lowering lesson about the Green Flu.

"Yeah," I admitted, "But it's a lot better, that's for sure."

"I'll take a look at it if everything turns out okay," Lex promised.

"Oh, but you won't take a look at my broken arm! I see how it is!" Christina said before pouting like a five-year-old.

Lex shouted at said teenager. "For the love of God, Christina! Your arm was never broken! You dislocated your shoulder! And the Charger was kind enough to pop it back into place for you."

**Impressive. Or just coincidence.**

_Maybe both._

"So what about the others. What's their deal?" Lex asked. Weird. This was the nicest conversation I had ever had with someone that pointed a gun at me. And that was the... third time, I believe.

Seeing as how the others were swimming, I _highly _doubted they could hear me. I could speak freely about them. This would be a first.

**Do you fear what they would do if they heard your honest opinion, Serene?**

_Not really. Though you-know-who just might get some idea..._

**Nick?**

_Why do you think I said "you-know-who", voice?_

Before I could hear the voice's response, I spoke. "Well, my brother Ellis – the one with the _Bullshifters _shirt – he's a real Southern gentleman sometimes. Other times, he's my immature older brother. I'm used to the latter."

Christina giggled a little, "Who does that sound like, Lex?"

"Shut up, Christina. Go ahead. What about the big guy?"

"Coach? He's pretty much our leader, since he's the oldest. He and Nick go at it from time to time, but that's more in Nick's personality than Coach's."

"What's his real name?" Lex asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know. He introduced himself as 'Coach'. Ellis had him in high school for health. You should ask him."

"What about Nick?" Christina asked. "He looks mean."

I nodded, "Oh he can be. He likes to pick on my brother. Making fun of him for being a little bit of a hick. From what I've gathered, he was a conman. And a gambler. And I think he killed someone. Bit of a ladies' man from time to time. But he's gotten a lot nicer. Don't tell him I told you that though."

"Why?"

"Because he already seems to just _know _stuff," I replied. "Seriously, you can't lie to him. He just knows."

"Maybe it's just you, Serene," Lex said, holding back a laugh, I could tell. "If he's a gambler, he's probably good at seeing what others are thinking by looking at their face. Does he have a poker face?"

"Sure he does. It makes him impossible. And between that and his ability to read people so easily, he drives me nuts."

"Maybe he's trying to flirt with you," Christina said, giggling a little louder now. "Awww! You fell in love with a bad boy!"

**Umm. Eww.**

_Tell me about it. That's nauseating._

"Nick isn't a 'bad boy', Christina. He was a criminal. Now he's trying to survive, like the rest of us."

"Whatever you say, girlie," Christina replied, leaving it at that.

"Just ignore her, Serene. She's had too much caffeine today," Lex said. That explained it. Even the stoner-like look in her eyes. "Didn't I tell you to only drink _half _of that thing?"

"But then Lea said to only drink half of that Red Bull."

"Oh hell. We're doomed now. Someone find a Tank. Use your energy attacking that!" Lex said. I think I agreed with the voice on this one. Lex seemed like a nice young woman. I think Christina and I are going to go at it, though. Especially if she's going to be like _that _all the time. Jesus.

At this point, we were about half way across the river, with everyone else not far behind. I could see more of the Evansville skyline. I could see it used to be a cozy place at one point. Sleepy little town on the Ohio River. Well, it seemed less cozy now. It didn't look like the hell that was Nashville. Come to think of it, it didn't look _that_ bad. It just seemed that something was off. To anyone who hadn't gone through what we have, they probably could say an earthquake or a severe storm. I don't think they could have guessed zombies.

I shoved the thoughts away, determined to strengthen the trust between me and Lex – and Christina at some level. "So you know us. What about you?"

"What about us? Hulsey's our band teacher. Lea, Christina and I were all in band together at Bosse. The military was setting up an evacuation site. They took as many kids as they could first, but I was looking for other students, helping them get to the helicopter if they couldn't, fending off any zombies, and what have you with Mr. Hulsey. I ended up searching every room looking for Mattie, but I didn't see her. So Mr. Hulsey took us to the stadium, where they were evacuating people, and they took off before we could get anywhere. Lea tried stalling them, but that didn't work out. All we got was the promise that CEDA would send another helicopter in a week. Well, that was about two weeks ago."

"CEDA screwed you over, too? The more I know, the happier I am. We were heading for New Orleans, but as it turns out, they're complete morons who don't know what their doing," I said, grateful that these four felt the same way we did.

"The military isn't much better."

Lex could clearly debate this topic all day, but she changed the subject to avoid boring Christina. "So you know how Christina is."

"Hey!"

"So I guess I'll start talking about Lea. She's been looking forward to something like this, actually. She one of _those _kinds of people. But she's a good person. She's funny, she knows how to swing a chainsaw around, and she isn't afraid of anything."

"Sounds like she and my brother'll get along well," I commented. "Then again. There aren't many people Ellis _doesn't _get along with. Except Nick."

"I'm like the group doctor. I've been looking into a medical something for a while, so I got a head start – looking at medical book after medical book. I don't mean to sounds conceited, but I think I know more about this thing than CEDA does. Though they did manage to bottle Boomer bile and use it to our advantage. Whatever."

"That is just gross, by the way. I mean, it's helpful, sure, but it's still gross."

"I know right!" Christina exclaimed, "It's all green and nasty and gross! Ugh... I'm gonna get sick thinking about it!"

"Then stop thinking about it!" Lex said, face-palming at her antics. Oh yes, Lex and I are going to be good friends, I think.

Sighing, she moved onto the next person on her team. "And then there's Mr. Hulsey. His first name is Kevin, in case you were wondering. Like I said, he was our band director, and he is probably my favorite teacher. He's the one who came up with all our plans, like fixing up the school. I mean, the windows are bullet resistant, the building's made out of real brick. We just put up a big barbwire fence and blocked off every entry but one door. We keep Mattie's dog out there to kind of act as an alarm. And she's gotten better about fighting them."

"Oh yeah, I heard about that."

"Anyway, Hulsey's tough. Like, really tough. He's kind, too. As long as you don't get on his bad side. I gotta admit, when I was a freshman, he scared me when he got mad."

"Well... so did I..." Christina admitted.

"Anyway. So that's us. I really hope you turn out to be a Carrier like us. It's gotten a little lonely around the school. Only so much you can say before it gets awkward."

"Tell me about it," I grumbled. If I had a dollar... wait, money isn't any good anymore. If I had a pint of gasoline for every time there was an awkward silence between us, we could have gone straight from Whispering Oaks to Canada.

When we finally made it across the river, Lex lent me a hand out of the boat then began covering it with the tarp and gravel. I must have had a questioning look on my face, because Lex explained, "It's to keep a zombie from deciding to make its home in there. And to keep _people _from using it."

**That's pretty smart.**

The others emerged from the river completely drenched. Ellis, Coach, Mattie, and Lea didn't seem to mind. However, you could _see _the frustration in Nick's face. His white suit was nearly gray from the water, and it stuck to his skin. It didn't look pleasant at all.

"Well, that suit's ruined," I commented, teasing Nick a little about the condition of his wardrobe.

"Like it wasn't earlier?" Mattie asked, playing along. Nick shot us a look that said he would hurt us if we kept it up. I dropped it. Only because Mr. Hulsey started speaking.

"Alright, the school's right this way. You four aren't allowed to come in until Lex does a blood test on you."

Ellis asked, "But what about Mattie?"

"She and I have the same parents," Lex said. "I'm a Carrier. That makes _her _one, too."

"Oh. Gotcha."

"Alright then," Mr. Hulsey said, "Let's get going."

So we followed the Hoosiers to the school. It wasn't going to be a far trek, according to Mattie, but I was cold. October in Evansville is nothing like October in Savannah. You'd think I'd be used to the cold after living in Detroit for about six years.

**You'll just have to become more adaptable.**

_I know it. I can only imagine how cold the others are after swimming in the cold river._

**Pretty cold. Just remember not to say or do something you might regret. These kind people are letting you into their city. They could kick you out just as easily.**

_But they won't. I have a good feeling about this. For once._

**Good feeling, huh? Is it your instinct, or are you just being hopeful?**

_You know, I think it's a little bit of both. All I know for sure is that things have to turn out for the better. After the low point we've hit, we can only go up from here, right?_

* * *

><p><strong>This ends the triple chapter post. It feels good to be back, guys. Sorry about any sadness, frustrations, or anger I might have brought because of the author's note I posted, but it was only fair. But look, that was only a couple days ago, and voila! Three quality chapters posted! Would I ever let you down?<strong>

_**Nick: **_**Ask Rochelle that and see what happens.**

**Shut up, Nick.**_** Anyway**_**, I promise to be more on the ball, now, so keep an eye out for me! Until next time! Oh, and Happy New Year!**


	18. Chapter 18: Medical Conditions

**Chapter 18: Medical Conditions**

**I have nothing to say except that I want to clarify something. Benjamin Bosse High School is a **_**real **_**school. Evansville is a **_**real **_**city. And I don't own either. Hmmm... owning a city... that would be interesting.**

**Coach: Aww hell. She's thinkin' again.**

**Oh, hush, Coach. Don't you have a chocolate helicopter to find?**

**(Coach glares at Dawnwish like in the intro movie)**

**Regardless, would you like to do the disclaimer? You haven't gotten much attention in this story, after all.**

**Coach: Miss Dawnwish don't own me, Nick, or Ellis. We belong to... VALVe? Serene and the other OCs are her own, but the new places are **_**real, **_**like she said earlier.**

**With that done, let's see how I torture Serene this time! Oh, and thanks for your patience. I realize how many people I ticked off a while back, but I'm trying to make up for it now. After this chapter, things will get **_**much **_**more interesting! Promise!**

* * *

><p><span>(Serene's POV)<span>

When we arrived at the school they were talking about, they weren't lying when they said there was one way in and out. Maybe it's because it was supposed to be an evac site at first, but I wonder how they got ten-foot barb-wired fences all around the entire school, save for a gate to enter and exit safely. Also notable were the boarded windows and doors.

"The school probably won't hold like that if a stronger something comes around, but it's been working so far," Lea said.

"So y'all said ya still git electricity here?" Ellis asked.

Christina replied, "Yeah, but we try to conserve it. We use for keeping cold stuff cold, running medical stuff when we have to, and sometimes for seeing if the army's got any word on any breakthroughs."

"I thought you said that CEDA and the military were lacking in what they knew compared to you," I asked Lex.

"I know, but they have the ability to see things I might not. I'm good, but I'm not good enough to look into the bacteria with basic textbook knowledge and a school microscope and be able to extract bile from a Boomer, concentrate it, and bottle it for our own advantage," Lex explained.

Still, it was a nice set up they had. We were led into the building, where there was the standard white walls and a darkened red and lightish gray color carpeting.

"Welcome to Bosse High School, home of the bulldogs. We're whats left of all of Evansville, that we know of," Mr. Hulsey said.

**You could probably call him Kevin, you know.**

_Not until I'm friendlier with him._

Anyway... "Lea, Lex, take them to the nurse's office for blood tests. Mattie, I need to talk to you for a second."

"Okay." I could tell the girls really liked Mr. Hulsey as a teacher, with the respect they gave him and the friendliness in their tones. A favorite teacher at the school, no doubt.

So we were lead to the nurse's office. As we were herded off to get our blood tested to see if we carry the Green Flu, I couldn't help but wonder about a number of things. One, what does Hulsey need to talk to Mattie about? Two, how is it Lex knows so much about the Green Flu? Three, _will I finally be able to get my freaking leg fixed?!_

* * *

><p><span>(Mattie POV)<span>

"And that's how I ended up with them," I finished. I had just explained to Hulsey why I was with a group of four strangers. Recounting being fooled into thinking that CEDA was going to _help _humanity rather than make everything worse was especially painful to talk about.

Oh, and something you should know, we always ended up calling Mr. Hulsey "Hulsey". Some people thought that was rude, but we knew it wasn't supposed to be. Yeah, sometimes the younger generation ends up pulling that thing about growling a teacher's name without the title, but we never, _ever _did that with Hulsey. _Ever._ We all just loved him so much!

At this point, you've probably realized that Lea, Christina, my sister and I are all band geeks. We take it as a compliment. At this school, it showed that you were a good student with good character. And if that isn't a good thing, I don't know what is.

"You've fought those things from New Orleans to Nashville alone?"

"Not quite. The airplane that was going to take me to New Orleans landed in Nashville because someone turned mid-flight. They set up a base there instead and _that's _when everyone turned. I still can't believe _CEDA_ agents turned _first!_ Out of the... fifteen passengers, thirteen remained uninfected. All the CEDA agents turned though."

"What happened to them?"

"They all went their separate ways. I found a few notes from my sister along the way here, or rather, _they _did and they showed them to me. When did this happen if you guys made camp here?"

Hulsey replied, "We made a few errand runs. Normally we never went too far, heading to... about the Henderson area, obviously."

"Which reminds me, how did you guys not recognize me earlier? I mean, I know I was away for about... a month. But seriously? Holding me hostage?"

Hulsey chuckled a little, "Yeah, I guess we ought to apologize for that. And, to be honest," Hulsey's tone got deadpan and serious, "We thought you were dead. I mean, we didn't _want _to think that by any means, but it seemed impossible. After that last day with no sign of you, we assumed the worst. Lex kept thinking that you'd show up. I guess she was right."

"I've been through so much in that month, Hulsey..." I said, trying not to cry. I've always been an emotional person. "I've become good friends with these people. Two days ago, they lost a friend. A woman named Rochelle. She was killed by the biggest Tank on the face of the planet. She only knew me for about five days, but in that time – nowadays – I think friendships are made faster. She was a good friend that would have – and _did –_ die to protect the ones she cares about..." I took a deep breath and wiped the moisture from my eyes. I met my band director's blue eyes and said, "They _all _are like that."

Hulsey nodded in understanding, "I don't doubt it. You wouldn't have gone with them, or told them about this in the first place if you didn't trust them."

I smiled a little, then hugged him. "Thank you... I'm so glad to be home, with my sister. But I guess she's not the _only _family I have anymore."

Hulsey had that knowing smile. "Go be with your sister. She should be finishing up with the blood tests soon."

* * *

><p><span> (Serene POV)<span>

First of all, _I HATE SYRINGES!_ I feel better getting that out of my system. Second, Lea is _hilarious!_ Seriously! She was that perfect balance of anger and humor that meant she could rant about something for hours and it would be funny as hell.I caught Lex roll her eyes many times. Personally, I thought it was entertaining.

"I'm telling you Mr. Pierre was the worst teacher anyone ever could've had! I mean seriously, he thought that the computer would run out of ink on the drawing program. We convinced him that chickens eat babies, once! Oh, it was _so _worth it when we found out he turned into a Boomer. It made killing it _that more entertaining._"

Lex changed the subject back to something with more importance. A good thing, considering Lea was starting to seem a little demented at this point. "Serene, your the last one to get the blood test done."

"What about Ellis?" I asked. Everyone else had gone but my brother and I. Like I said, I hate syringes. I only used that one adrenaline shot because I had to. And that was _injecting _something. Having blood _taken out _isn't my idea of a good time.

"He's your brother. If _you're _immune, he will be. But it doesn't work the other way around," Lex explained. "So you first. Might save some supplies this way."

"Got it."

So she stuck me with the needle. It hurt. I know what your thinking, I got mauled by two freaky-as-hell Jockeys, and I can't handle a needle? Well... I can. I didn't go on and on about how much I did like I did about the Jockeys, now _did _I? MEH!

My blood was red. I was reminded of the Tank's black, sticky blood that coated me as I tried to slit it's throat. Zombie blood was visibly different than human, but a Carrier was different than a non-Carrier (obviously). I didn't worry _too _much about my immunity. I mean... I got knocked down by a Jockey, so I had open wounds, and a Spitter _spat _on me a number of times. If I was going to turn, I think I would have by now. I don't know...

"Alright, that's all I need. I'll let you know as soon as I can what the results are. Until then, the others are right outside."

I nodded and headed out, but I stopped myself before I reached for the door handle, "Wait, Lex... Could you tell me the odds of... you know... turning?

Lex looked up from her microscope and rubbed her eyes. "You said you've been wounded and that you've encountered and fought the Infected. Chances are that it's in your blood stream. And like I said earlier, it can take anywhere from five minutes of exposure to at least a month to turn. It's hard to say, but I think that you'll be okay. You'd at least have some symptoms by now if nothing else. Feeling sick?"

"Not particularly. Only thing I can really report is a lightheaded feeling from blood loss."

Lex gave a kind smile, "I think you'll be okay. Just let me double check and make sure. Relax. We're not gonna bite... Well... _I _won't anyway." She chuckled a little.

I left the room, not exactly comforted or relieved, but a little better that I'd at least have concrete proof that I was immune.

But I'll tell you what, that relieved feeling didn't last long. I walked in on the weirdpart of the conversation. Apparently, someone was a Spanish student. I didn't speak much, but I knew enough to know they were saying something about elephants.

"Tú eres un elephante con un bigote!" Christina exclaimed.

"Girl," Coach said in that annoyed tone he used with my brother. "You are wearin' me out. If you gonna give 'im shit, do it in English."

"What'd ya even say?" Ellis asked.

I answered him, "I think she called someone an elephant with a mustache. Maybe. My Spanish is rusty, but I think that's right."

Nick gave Christina a weird look, to which she just laughed. "Maaaaaybeeeeeee." she replied before giggling again. I had just noticed Mattie returned.

Nick rubbed his eyes, annoyed. I think he muttered something about teenagers under his breath. Granted, I was only better than that by three years, I wasn't that annoying as a teenager. Then again... a lot of that was spent making a life for myself in Detroit... Regardless.

Mr. Hulsey walked down the hallway, nodding a greet at us. Lea and Christina pretty well dropped what they were doing and looked at him, almost expecting orders, by the looks of it. "Any results yet?" he asked.

"Not yet. She just finished the last blood test... for now," Lea reported.

"Actually, I just got Coach's results," Lex said before looking briefly at a chart. "Blood type: B negative. Your blood shows a touch of dehydration, but yeah, you're a Carrier." Coach nodded, not surprised by his results. At a random ding, Lex disappeared back into the nurse's office. "That's the alarm. I'll have Nick's results shortly."

"Alright then. I'm going to see what I can do to get some rooms ready. Christina, why don't you come with me?" Mr. Hulsey asked. I think I sensed Nick celebrate inwardly Christina seems like a nice girl, but I get the feeling she's gonna drive us all nuts.

"Okay!" she said cheerfully before leaving with Mr. Hulsey.

When they were gone and out of earshot, Lea turned to me, "So... You play an instrument?"

"Uh, not really. I used to know a little guitar, but I haven't played it in a while. I love listening to music, but I can't play it very well. Some friends of mine were in the marching band when I was in high school. A flute player, a trumpet player, and I think a drummer."

"I see. Well, Mattie plays flute, I play trombone and baritone, Christina plays clarinet, and Lex plays percussion. Hulsey plays just about anything, but he prefers playing trombone."

Nick was bored with the conversation, so he walked around the room, careful not to walk too far so he could hear the results of his blood test as soon as he could.

"That's pretty cool. How old are you guys?"

"Christina and I are seventeen, Lex is sixteen, and Mattie's fourteen. I think Hulsey's... thirty-eight? Thirty-nine? Forty, maybe?"

Coach muttered, almost inaudible, "They just get younger and younger..."

I had to agree. There was a time when I was the youngest one in the group by a year. There's an eight-year difference between myself and the current youngest. It's crazy. How long before something along the lines of _The Walking Dead _video game happens and we meet an eight-year-old?

On second thought, I don't want to think about that.

Lex's voice broke through the depressing mood. "Nick! You're results are in."

At the sound of his name, Nick returned from wherever. "What's up?"

"Blood type: O negative. You're pretty healthy, but... do you smoke?" Lex asked.

"What about it?"

"Just making sure... But you're a Carrier."

Nick rolled his eyes. "That's what I was trying to tell you earlier."

Lea stood up to Nick. Her tone wasn't angry – yet – but I could see she was ready to defend her group's methods if need be. Maybe I was wrong earlier. Nick and Christina might be polar opposites, but I think Nick's going to call _Lea_ a bitch before sunset. And Lea's not going to just _let _him.

**Can I sell tickets?**

_Even if you could, I would still say no._

"We have to make sure," the young woman replied. "There was a group not too long ago that tried to pull that shit. We go to sleep one night, wake up, and there's two Hunters and a Spitter in the school. Nothing against you."

Nick shrugged it off and leaned against the wall.

"I'll have your results pretty soon, Serene," Lex said before vanishing into the nurse's office again.

I didn't think I had anything to worry about. I mean, I know how you get sick. A disease can be airborne, blood-borne, sexually transmitted (though I've not done any of that since this thing started... or ever, for that matter), or waterborne. I might not have drunk any stagnant water, which isn't something you should do in the first place, or slept with anyone, but I can tell you that I've definitely _breathed _around zombies. Their blood is all over my clothes. Hell, I'm sure their blood has mixed a bit with mine – having an open wound that had zombie blood spilled onto it. I'm sure it's in my system.

And I don't _feel _sick.

Yet.

**Stop thinking about it, or you're going to get yourself all worked up for nothing. Go talk to Lea.**

_Best idea you've had yet, voice._

I waltzed over to Lea. She had been talking to Mattie and Ellis about something that she and Lex did in band before Mattie joined. Something about tripping over her own pant leg? I don't know.

"Hey Serene. What's up?" she said, greeting me.

I shrugged, "Same shit, different day. Starving, broken leg, just trying to survive."

Lea's face grew solemn, almost sympathetic. "You hungry? I mean, you were about to raid that gas station when we came along."

Ellis looked away. "Ah don't wanna seem rude, but..."

"Oh, it's fine. Here, I have some granola bars in my bag." Lea said, unzipping a red and black backpack and producing two granola bars: peanut butter and maple and brown sugar. "If everything works out, it'll hold you over until dinner."

I took the peanut butter granola bar, feeling guilty. "Are you sure, Lea? Food is kinda scarce nowadays."

The freckle-faced girl nodded. "I'm positive, or I wouldn't have given it to you."

"That's mighty kind of ya, Lea," Ellis said, tipping his hat to her in thanks. "You ain't gonna git in trouble, are ya?"

"Nah. It was mine anyway. If it'll hold you over until dinner, be my guest.

Kindness from strangers. There's something you don't see every day.

I put the granola bar in my jacket pocket, not wanting to eat in front of anyone. "Thanks again, Lea. Hopefully, I'll be able to return the favor sometime."

Lea had a smile, "I kinda like you guys. Nice people." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Except for Nick. He's a douche sometimes, isn't he?" Ellis and I both nodded. "Well you guys are still alright. I hope things work out."

I shrugged. "I'm pretty confident I'm immune. I mean, I haven't turned yet. But like Lex said. It could take a month. And... Well... What day is it?"

"November 12th."

I didn't realize it, but I started thinking out loud, "Let me think... The day Christopher died was October... 3rd? No... 13th? Yeah. October 13th. Tomorrow would mark a month."

"Ah think you'll be alright," my brother said. "Yer a fighter."

"God knows that... One broken heart and broken leg later..."

Lea asked, "How did you break your leg anyway?"

And so I told Lea about how after meeting up with Ellis and his group, a Tank decided the throw me against a tree and break my leg. I recounted how Nick begrudgingly made a splint for me so I could walk around and how I still had to live on pain killers when I could grab them. I told her about how this thing has been a freaking pain in the butt when the splint's been broken or otherwise damaged and expressed my fears of what would happen if I couldn't get it looked out soon enough

"Sorry to hear all that," Lea said when I finished. "Maybe you can have Lex look at it for you."

Just as she said that, the teen in question exited the nurse's office. "Hey, Serene. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Dread filled me to the brim. Was something wrong? What happened? Was I not a Carrier, after all? I had all these thoughts about at the same time as I entered the nurse's office.

Lex closed the door behind her, her face was solemn, as if she had no desire to say what she had to say. I swallowed the growing worry and asked, "What's going on, Lex?"

She sighed. "Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

I hate when these things happen. Given the situation, I wanted to be brought up before being knocked back down. "Good news, please."

"The good news it that you – and by extension, your brother – test positive. You're Carriers. A positive blood type, by the way. The bad news... Well... I don't know how to tell you this."

I was relieved to hear it wasn't about that. However, having enough bullshit, I said, "Just spit it out, Lex," a little more angrily then I intended.

"You said your leg was broken, right?"

"Yeah. It doesn't hurt as much as it used to, but I'd like to have it looked at some point, please."

"Well... I think... I think it's infected. If it gets much worse, do you know what we'd have to do?"

My breath caught at that. "Amputate?"

Lex nodded. "Yeah. The only way it can _really _get better is through antibiotics – and a lot, at that – plenty of rest, and keeping off that leg. I'm talking not even walking around the school, Serene."

My eyes went wide. "You mean to tell me I'm going to be _bedridden? _For how long?!"

"Until it's healed. That could take a long time. I don't know for sure."

I knew things could be much worse, but I was sick and tired of one thing after the other! First my fiance turns and I have to kill him, then my leg gets broken, Rochelle dies, and now that we're _finally _somewhere relatively safe, MY BROKEN LEG IS FREAKING INFECTED! God _damn _it to the fiery depths of _Hell!_

"Look," Lex said. "It's not as bad as you think. I'm going to let everyone know that you aren't well. We'll make your comfort our top priority, now that everything else is taken care of. I can even make sure you get food delivered to you. Trust me, it won't be as bad as you think. We can even keep you in the band room so you have stuff to do, if you want."

I sighed, feeling my rage and hatred towards whatever entity causing my troubles subside slowly. I've been told everything happens for a reason.

_I'm sure when I'm a little more calmed down, I'll see it, but right now, I'm just angry._

**You will. I could tell you, if you like?**

The voice reminded me, "Hey, Lex. You wouldn't happen to have anything for a person that hears 'voices' would you?"

"Uhh... no... Why?"

"Just curious."

Lex didn't believe me. Her blue-green-gray eyes showed this doubt. "Is someone in your group schizophrenic?"

"Not that I know of, but ever since I began to starve and sleep less, I've been hearing this voice. It sounds familiar, but I can't place where I've heard it," I told her. "I haven't told anyone for fear of being shot – you know, going insane and all that – and I'd like to keep it that way. No one has to know about this but you and me."

Lex seemed to be in thought for a moment. "I won't tell anyone, but if someone asks, I'm not lying for you."

"I never said you had to, but if they start getting too curious, tell them to talk to me. But anyway, what do I do about it?"

"Well, getting you nourished again would help. As would a decent night's sleep. But I don't have anything for schizophrenia. Sorry."

"It's fine. The voice has just gotten really old."

Lex asked, "Is it just one voice, or are there multiple ones?"

"Just one."

Lex's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Are you sure it isn't just your conscience? I mean... I don't _hear _voices, but my conscience doesn't sound like my thoughts. It's like my mother's voice. Is it something like that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm too tired to deal with it."

"You're right," Lex agreed. "I can only imagine what you all have been through. Sounds worse than what we have. But hopefully your luck will turn for the better."

Well... I did manage to get here. And after hitting rock bottom, you can only go up, right?

* * *

><p><strong>Another chapter done. That wasn't so bad. Damn writer's block, though. Made this a dull chapter. Still, can't all be fast-paced, can it?<strong>

_**Lex: **_**And the management apologizes if schizophrenia doesn't work like that. Internet's been coming and going for some weird reason and we haven't been able to research as well as usual. Hopefully that'll change soon.**

**Tell me about it. Well, until next time. The little box is calling for you. "Write a review! Make Dawnwish happy! You know you want too!" Can't you hear it? Don't make it sad!**

**Thanks to my reviewers Ashley and I-Luff-Yhu, by the way!**


	19. Chapter 19: A Day to Unwind

**Chapter 19: A Day to Unwind **

**Well... I get the feeling this is going to be a fun chapter.**

**_Mattie: _****I hate to tell you, ma'am, but Serene isn't talking to you for the chapter.**

******That's fine. After telling her she won't be able to walk for a couple chapters, I'm not surprised. I can do the disclaimer today, thank you.**

******I don't own anything here except for Serene and other, minor OCs. The Left 4 Dead 2 cast belongs to VALVe and the Hoosiers are ****based off**** real people. As are the new locations. Now let's get this show on the boat!**

* * *

><p>With Mr. Hulsey finding out we're all Carriers, we were shown to our rooms and given a copy of the floor plan just in case. My room was once an English classroom, apparently. Room 102.<p>

The teacher's desk and computer were still there, but desks and chairs were absent from the room. The bed was a mattress with several blankets and such and the windows were... exposed. This was the first building I've seen that didn't have boarded up windows.

"Shouldn't those be... reinforced?" I asked Lea, who was showing us around the school while Christina worked on preparing other rooms with Hulsey and Lex remained in the nurse's office for a reason that I wasn't sure of.

"They're as bullet resistant as they get. We haven't had to, yet. If it gets to where we do, we will," Lea said. She pushed me into my room.

Well... I say "pushed", but I forgot to mention earlier. I was given a wheelchair so I wouldn't be _completely_ isolated from everyone else. I couldn't use my leg, but that didn't mean I had to become the social outcast of the group.

Was I fond of the chair? No. Was I willing to put up with it? Yes.

"Hey." Lea said. "I'm sorry about your leg. If you need anything, we'll be happy to help you. I think Lex is looking for some sort of antibiotic for you. Mattie will bring you some blankets and stuff. If you need food or drink, Christina's been in charge of that. Anything else, ask Hulsey. We usually hang out in the band room, but whatever you want to do. Just... stay off the third floor."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "What's on the third floor?"

"Nothing, really. It used to be the school's storage," the redhead said. "Thing is, one of the janitors kinda died up there... We haven't gotten to move his body yet. It's kinda gross."

'Fine by me," I said. "Where's everyone else?"

"Your friends are in the band room. They've been unpacking while we were looking for that wheelchair."

That was an adventure. It got buried with so many other medical supplies... If I ever get hit with another bottle of pain pills, it'll be too soon. Still, I was _not _about to use crutches. I'm not coordinated enough for that.

"Can you take me there?" I asked. I knew where my room was now. I could figure it out from there, I think.

**You think?**

Another thing. I was finding it a lot easier to tune out the voice. It's like its effect on me was wearing down.

When we arrived in the band room, I saw Ellis and Mattie chatting in one corner, Nick and Coach idly chatting, Lex showing Mr. Hulsey a clipboard that no doubt contained details of our blood tests, and Christina was listening to music on a computer. Amazing. A working computer. Electricity. Food.

This had to be a dream.

"Hey sis!" Ellis greeted me, coming to my side with that goofy grin. "Man, Ah'm sorry 'bout this whole thing. Not bein' able ta walk? That's gotta suck."

"No kidding," I replied. "But I don't have a choice. I might as well get over it. Besides, it'll be easier for me to rest up this way. Sooner I am to getting better, sooner I can get back to killing zombies with my friends." I'll be honest, I was actually really pessimistic about my entire situation and believed I would lose a limb, but I tried to act optimistic for Ellis. Besides, CEDA said to try to maintain a positive state of mind, right?

Like I believe anything CEDA says.

"If you need anything," Lea said. "Let me or Lex know. We can help you out. Promise."

"I will. Thanks, Lea."

"No problem. Try to get some sleep at some point, you know?"

With that, Lea left me to roll myself around. I could handle it; I didn't need a babysitter. She went to talk to Lex about something. I rolled over to Nick with a smile. He was just studying everything quietly, not showing any emotion as usual.

"Hey, Nick. What's up?"

Nick hummed. He whispered, almost too soft to hear. "Something doesn't seem quite right here. Why didn't CEDA pick them up?"

"They said they were helping others get to the chopper," I replied. Why so suspicious, Nick?

"In general, people will always want to protect the women and children first. They wouldn't let three kids be left behind."

"I don't know. They left you four behind. Twice," I pointed out. CEDA was failing epically at their job, way I see it. Had I been on top of the Vannah when CEDA left them behind, I would be beyond pissed. I doubt I'd have trusted them again.

And what happened to the group when they _did_ trust them again? They were screwed over again. No more BS.

"Well, we were just everyday people. Kids tend to be protected and taken care of before we do," Nick pointed out.

"Could be they heard about CEDA's screw-ups and avoided them altogether," I replied. Nick could be as suspicious as he liked, but I really felt I could trust this group. They're good people. Real. They aren't those pathetic excuses that make up CEDA.

"Maybe..." Nick muttered. He seemed to shake the thoughts off as he looked back at me and asked, "So what's the verdict? Ellis told me your leg was infected."

"Lex said that it was smart to put it in a splint, but it's pretty bad. And we can't know for sure when I'll be out of this chair. I'm on antibiotics until we know for sure. I mean... It's been broken for about a week, right?"

"Only a week?" Nick asked. "It's been a week since we met?"

I sighed. "It feels longer, doesn't it?"

Nick huffed. "Two weeks ago, I was planning to go to Vegas. So much for that, huh?"

"Two weeks ago, I was trying to contact my family to figure out what we were going to do for the holidays," I replied. It felt like it had been a lifetime ago...

We were greeted by Mr. Hulsey approaching us. I couldn't help but notice that I hardly knew he was coming. He had quiet footsteps. No wonder we were so easily jumped.

"Hey guys," the teacher greeted. "Is everything alright?"

"As much as it can be, I guess," Nick replied. "Nice set up you got here. How long did it take to put together?"

"The barb wire wasn't easy to get, but everything else was already here, you know? The food's not hard to come by, either. Most people left here in a hurry once they heard about the east coast."

"That's fortunate," I replied. "We've been living on gas station food for a while now. Candy bars, chips... not very healthy, but we've managed."

"Gotta do what you can, right?"

Nick seemed to have something on his mind. "So what's your story? You know most of ours."

"That's a long one. Has Mattie told you what happened to her?"

We nodded. Poor girl was taken to New Orleans by CEDA, separated from her sister, crashed somewhere in Nashville, nearly fainted the moment she was safe. She's been through a lot. Then again... haven't we all?

I know I can relate...

* * *

><p><strong>(Lex's POV)<strong>

Once Serene was taken care of, I sought out my sister. I hadn't seen her since this whole thing started, after all, and to know she was safe – to know she was _with me_ again. After about a week, we started to think she wasn't going to make it. It's almost like she was back from the dead.

She was in the band room, where we hung out more often than not. She was chatting with the Southern man.

_What's his name? I am so horrible at names... Umm... _OH! _It's Ellis... Riiiight... I'm never going to remember that._

"Hey Ellis," I greeted. "Mind if I borrow her real quick?"

"No problem, Miss Alexis. She's your sister," he replied. He's such a polite young man. Why couldn't kids my age be that polite? Maybe that whole Southern hospitality thing was true.

"Please," I said. "Call me Lex."

"Like Lex Luthor?" Ellis asked.

I laughed. That _was _where we originally got the idea, but that's another story. "Yeah, you could say that. Mattie will be back in a minute."

I led my sister out of the band room and into the hallway, where we had a little more privacy. I studied her face before speaking. Her light blue eyes were still cheerful and innocent. Even though she was fifteen years old, I couldn't help but think of her as my little sister I had to protect. I didn't mind it, though.

"Am I in trouble or something?" she asked.

"No, I just wanted to talk to you," I replied. I sat down on the floor and invited her to do the same. "We were really worried about you, you know?"

Mattie sighed. "I know. I figured you would... What happened here, anyway? I heard there was an evac sent here. Did you guys get left behind?"

I bit my lip. I told Serene we were left behind. Lea and Christina thought the same. Only Hulsey knew the truth.

"I volunteered to wait here for you. Hulsey wasn't going to leave me stay here alone. By time we had that decided, we started heading for the football field – they had the helicopter on the fifty, I remember it – and by time we got there, it was gone. Lea and Christina had been waiting in the band room for us. We looked all over the school for you."

Mattie seemed depressed now. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble. I was stuck at Washington, trying to help out the people there. CEDA mistook me for one of them and well..." _You_ might not have been able to tell, she was on the verge of tears. Only someone as close to her as her sister would have been able to see it.

"Hey," I said. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'm telling you all this because I wanted to say I'm glad to have you back. Beyond glad. I feel sane again."

I hugged my sister. I was so happy to be able to hold her again. As much as we fought when we were kids, I never would have thought we could be together again as a family. And I didn't need to even leave the school to know that family values were on the rise.

I was just beyond happy to be with my sister again.

"Did I miss anything? Besides the obvious?" Mattie asked when I was done hugging her.

"Not much. Just a few breakthroughs in the medical field as far as the Green Flu goes."

"Like what?"

I listed everything I had discovered so far. "Apparently, the Green Flu is the same for everyone, which disproves the idea that some viruses are mutated. It's a matter of the individual being Infected. Those that were anorexic turned into Witches under certain circumstances. Anyone with enough steroids in their system became something stronger – a Tank or Charger, likely. It's weird."

"Seems like it... How did you find all this out?"

"Blood tests. Looking under a microscope, mainly. That's how I tested our new friends' blood. I just got curious one day. I looked at my blood under a microscope, saw that something was trying to attack my blood cells, but failed to do so. They were just there. I looked at a zombie's blood by comparison. The cells were completely overridden with the bug. So I wondered what was going on. Those who aren't immune to it catch it like any other bug, you know? A few symptoms, then the actual illness itself. Those who are immune just had it floating through their blood stream, totally fine. It's... amazing, really."

"Sounds like it," Mattie replied. "I mean... You found all that out with just basic medical stuff and a microscope. What if you got your hands on actual equipment?"

I smiled. She had too much faith in my abilities. "I'd be as confused as anyone else."

She sighed a content sigh. That's a sound I hadn't heard in a long time. "As bad as things have gotten, I'm so glad to be home."

* * *

><p><strong>(Serene's POV)<strong>

At about five, we headed to the cafeteria for dinner. I didn't expect them to keep such formality. Not many people did. God knows we didn't. We ate when we got hungry.

But when I entered the cafeteria to see that they had _hot food, _I think the part of me that died out there revived_._ There was even a little bit of_ meat!_

Oh my gosh, I thought I died and went to heaven.

"Oh Lord..." Coach said as he walked in behind me. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Spaghetti?" Lea asked, almost incredulously. "What, did you not eat it much before?"

"We rarely ate anything since we left Whispering Oaks," I replied, almost intoxicated by the smell of food. "Just whatever canned goods we could find. Or candy, you know?"

Ellis was already receiving a portion of spaghetti. I could hardly roll my chair fast enough to the plate. Foooooood...

Mr. Hulsey laughed at our enthusiasm. "Just remember to take it easy. Too much at once and you'll get sick."

I acknowledged his warning and knew it to be true. God knows I didn't want to get sick and throw up moments after eating real food for the first time.

Once we all had our helping at sat down to eat, Mr. Hulsey made another announcement.

"Alright, I know you guys just got here, but we need to start thinking about supply runs. I'd like to stay stocked up for as long as possible. There are still a few places in town we haven't gone yet. Reitz High School looked pretty well abandoned. We should check there for supplies."

"Yeah..." Lex agreed hesitantly. "We could do with some more antibiotic. If Serene's going to be on them for a while, then I'd like to stay stocked up in case someone gets sick."

I could see the exhaustion in my groups' faces. Not many of us would be willing to go on a run right now. Hardly any of us were even capable of going. Coach looked so tired he could sleep through a tornado. Nick was on edge with the group as is. I was in a freaking wheelchair.

The only one that looked capable of going was Ellis. He's always ready for the next zombie fight, though. I can't understand how all the death we've been through hasn't affected him at all. As if taking our family wasn't enough – and I finally got the chance to tell him about that, too – he saw Rochelle die. How is he still in his right mind?! Well... Maybe he _isn't..._

**We all know you're not!**

I ignored that thought. Besides, Coach was speaking.

"Well, Mr. Hulsey. If it'll help out, I think I can go," he said between bites of spaghetti. "'Sides, it's mighty kind of you to take all of us in like this."

"Aww, hell, Ah'll go." Ellis added. He already finished all his food, despite being one of the last to get it. How?! His leg must be hollow or something, I swear. "Ah don't mind. Might be kinda fun – shootin' more zombies."

"Alright," the band director said, more to get his own thought organized. "Coach, Ellis, Lex, Mattie, and I will all go to the west side of town and see what we can get."

"What about us?" Nick asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Stay here," Mr. Hulsey replied. I could have predicted that one. "Keep Serene company."

"You'll be in good hands, Serene," Lex said, giving me a look. "Lea's not a bad nurse when she wants to be."

Mattie giggled a little before adding, "And her bedside manor is impeccable. She's so freaking funny!"

Lea spoke in a nasally tone, trying to provoke some laughter or something. "Well, now. I'm so glad you all take amusement from my shenanigans." I had to smile. It was a funny voice, I gave her that.

Nick wasn't amused, though. He had a look that was very tired and annoyed.

"I'm going to be stuck with two teenagers?" he asked. "Great."

"Hey!" Christina explained, her brown eyes wide. "I might be eighteen, but I'm mature!"

Everyone at the table gave her a look.

"Well... Maybe when I don't drink Monster..."

"So stop drinking it," Lea said.

Lex huffed, "Says the girl that would get so hyper off of _one _cup of coffee that she could run a lap around the track and spin while doing so. And then proceed to wonder why she keeps running into things and falling down."

Ellis and I got a laugh out of that. Hulsey smirked. "Sounds like Lea."

I saw Nick face-palm. I decided to comfort him. Sort of. "Nick." He looked up at me. "It won't be all that bad. Promise."

"If you say so."

Coach decided to stop all this nonsense and got back to the subject of the run. "When do we need to set off, sir?"

"Tomorrow. I think we should let you guys get at least a little rest. It won't be a long run, but if you've been going through everything you say, you're exhausted."

"And we are," I replied. "With the death of Rochelle, our morale's been pretty low." The statement made sudden realization pop into mind – we haven't done much to honor her – not as much as we should have. "Which reminds me, is there anyway we can honor her?"

Mr. Hulsey nodded, "Yeah, of course. I don't care what you do. If there's anything you need us to help you with, let us know."

"I understand the loss of a close friend," Lex said. "No worries." Her eyes betrayed her. She looked to the ground in sorrow. Who had she lost? I was tempted to ask, but a glance at Lea said otherwise. It was none of my business. Maybe I'd find out another day.

I looked at Ellis. "Maybe we could make a cross out of something. It's a nice enough memorial. We can't do too much fancier than that nowadays, anyway."

"Yeah..." Ellis said. He sighed. "Ah had somethin' in mind fer a while now, but y'know..."

So it was decided. A game plan was set for tomorrow. Five of us were going on a supply run. When they came back, a memorial was to be held for our fallen friend.

The voice began speaking with me again.

**Since you're just dying to get rid of me, I guess this is the last advice I'll give you.**

_Go ahead, voice. I don't care._

**Honor the dead, but remember the living. Times are far too hard to dwell on the past. Prepare for the future or you'll be killed by the present.**

_What do you know? Decent advice._

It had a point though. The past was done. Once we honored Rochelle, we really needed a plan. The school was nice, but I doubt it could be a permanent solution like an island would be. And with the Ohio River near by, getting to the ocean wouldn't be _as_ hard. In theory.

At the same time, things were _really_ nice here. I think that we could wait a while before backtracking. Besides, it's not like I'm in the best condition for that. And we'd have to make a few trips if we want to take all the supplies they have here...

Well... one day at a time, I suppose.

* * *

><p><strong>Another chapter up and done. This was a boring one... I'm sorry. The next one will be a lot better. These chapters are probably going to be coming out more and more rarely. I have other projects in the works, you know? Plus my friends git me hooked on PewDiePie videos. (I blame YouTube.) And with summer vacation around the corner, I'm about to become the laziest teenager this side of the Internet. I apologize in advance for the inevitable hiatus.<strong>

_**Mattie: **_**Heh. Serene's laughing from her wheelchair. She's happy for a break.**

**She realizes time doesn't flow for her when I don't write, right?**

_**Mattie: ...**_** Doubt it.**

**Whatever. Review if you want. It's right down there.**


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